Labour wins Holborn and St Pancras by-election, easing pressure on PM Andy Burnham

The Labour Party has won a London parliamentary by-election, where Prime Minister Andy Burnham faced a crucial political test.

Sagal Abdi-Wali has been elected Member of Parliament for Holborn and St Pancras, a seat previously held by Burnham’s predecessor, Keir Starmer, whom the ruling Labour Party forced out as leader after poor local election results.

Abdi-Wali leads the local council and is a familiar face in local politics. In her victory speech, she thanked voters, whether or not they backed her, and said: “This is Camden, and this is Britain.”

Al Jazeera’s Sonia Gallego, reporting live from the count, says the constituency is far from typical.

Gallego says Labour feels “a deep sigh of relief”, though caution is needed. Voters want the government to tackle housing and the cost of living, and whether the so-called “Burnham bounce” carries nationally will depend on that.

Al Jazeera’s Sonia Gallego reports from central London.

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