Bell Ribeiro-Addy


Bellavia Janet Ribeiro-Addy is a British Labour Party politician who has served as the Member of Parliament for Streatham since the 2019 general election. She considers herself a "life-long socialist" and a feminist.

Early life

Ribeiro-Addy was born and raised in Streatham, growing up on a council estate on Brixton Hill. She is Christian and of Ghanaian descent.
Privately educated at the independent Streatham and Clapham High School, Ribeiro-Addy graduated as a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science with Ethics & Philosophy of Science from the University of Bradford later gaining a Master of Arts in Medical Law & Ethics at Queen Mary University of London, awarded in 2007, and a Graduate Diploma in Law at BPP Law School, awarded in 2015. She was the National Black Students' Officer for the National Union of Students from 2008 to 2010, national co-ordinator of the Student Assembly Against Racism, and the national convenor of the NUS' Anti-Racism/Anti-Fascism campaign.
In 2010, the Durham Union Society was forced to cancel a debate on multiculturalism on safety grounds, after the NUSBlack Students Officer, Ribeiro-Addy and LGBT+ Officer, Daf Adley sent a letter to the Union, Durham University and Durham Students Union. The letter opposed the invitation of then far-right BNP MEP Andrew Brons, and warned of a “colossal demonstration” if the debate went ahead. It went on to say “If any students are hurt in and around this event, responsibility will lie with you.”

Political career

Before becoming an MP, Ribeiro-Addy was chief of staff to former Labour frontbencher Diane Abbott.
Bell also sits as a school governor at Saint Gabriel's College, Camberwell. She was the elected as the Labour MP for Streatham in 2019 with a majority of 17,690, reduced by over 8,000 following a strong campaign from the Liberal Democrats.
Ribeiro-Addy is a member of Labour's left-wing Socialist Campaign Group and has challenged the role of the media in devaluing black female MPs, particularly regarding recent BBC Parliament subtitling errors.
In January 2020, Ribeiro-Addy was appointed as Shadow Minister for Immigration, just weeks after her election as a Member of Parliament. She was subsequently sacked following the election of Keir Starmer as Labour Leader.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ribeiro-Addy called on the government to release people held in immigration detention centres.
On 30th April 2020, the British Board of Deputies called on the Labour Party to suspend Ribeiro-Addy and her former boss, Diane Abbott, after they had participated in a Zoom call with former party members who had been expelled for anti-Jewish racism.