Jonathan Purcell

This really isn't good enough from a Parliamentary candidate. Sagal Abdi-Wali is given a pretty soft-soap interview in The Times, but even they are shocked at how she refuses to articulate a single clear policy position on climate, immigration or welfare reform. It's deflection and bet-hedging - perhaps because she knows her Party's stated policies on all of these issues are deeply unpopular locally. Who in Camden wants more welfare cuts, cutting migrant rights and new oil & gas drilling? Perhaps she doesn't want to call them out because she will vote however the Party leadership tells her to, and she doesn't want to be making promises she knows she won't keep? I wonder if there was another MP from Holborn & St Pancras who had difficulty sticking to a pledge? The section on the environment and North Sea Oil is worth quoting in full: "Does that mean she wouldn’t support the approval of new licensing for the Jackdaw gas field off the coast of Aberdeen, a decision which was postponed specifically because of the by-election? Her answer is neither a yes nor no: “I know that the climate emergency is a huge issue for people here, I also know that the cost of the crisis is a big factor that comes up on the doorstep,” she said. When pushed, she added: “Honestly, it’s more for me. I know the constituents here aren’t thinking about that.”" What? I can absolutely confirm that after devastating heat-waves and a drought that has led to a hosepipe ban in Camden, most people locally and nationally are very much thinking about climate change. Most people I speak to across the constituency think it is madness to be contemplating releasing more fossil fuels after years of record-breaking temperatures. After 11 years of Starmerism in Holborn - the human rights lawyer who trashed international law, the brother of a disabled man who cut disability benefits, the man of "service" who gorged on corporate freebies - vibes aren't good enough. Voters in Holborn deserve to know how Sagal will vote on issues that are imminently coming before Parliament - and deserve to be able to hold her to account if she breaks her promises. thetimes.com/uk/politics/art…

Appalling behaviour from Camden Labour tonight. Endless, meandering interventions to stop the Labour-controlled Council debating a motion on divestment related to Gaza. Local residents furious at Sagal Abdi-Wali for again slipping out of saying anything on Gaza.