Bell Ribeiro-Addy is the Labour MP for Streatham, her home constituency, who currently sits on the House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee. Born and raised in Brixton Hill, Bell is a dedicated feminist, anti-racist and trade unionist who currently sits on the Women & Equalities Committee and Joint Human Rights Committee in Parliament.
Bell cut her teeth in student politics, serving as the National Black Students’ Officer. She later worked as a campaigns officer for the Palestine Solidarity Campaign before joining Diane Abbott’s office as a political adviser and later chief of staff. Following her election, she briefly served as a Shadow Home Office Minister under Jeremy Corbyn.
During her time in Parliament, Bell has highlighted the damaging impact of drug criminalisation on racialised and working-class communities – including in her maiden speech, where she pointed out:
“If you live in my area and you are a young black man who is caught or arrested with drugs, it is a very different outcome for you. But apparently if you admit to taking drugs in this House, you may find yourself a candidate in the Conservative party leadership contest.”
Bell has consistently advocated instead for a public health approach that centres harm reduction to drug users and communities alike. She is a patron of Labour Campaign for Drug Policy Reform and has worked with other organisations including Health Poverty Action, Release, Unjust, and Transform to push for better drugs policy.