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Bell’s Newsletter

3rd May 2024

Dear *|FNAME|*,

I’ve been out on the campaign trail for much of this week to ensure we elect a Labour Mayor, Labour Assembly members, and local Labour councillors. The Mayoral election presented a clear choice between a Labour Mayor, working to make London fairer, greener and safer for all, and a Tory candidate who seems at odds with most of our city’s core values.

This election was always going to be closer than the last, after the Tories changed the electoral system to first past the post and introduced mandatory photo ID. We had to work even harder this election to overcome barriers to voting. This election’s low turnout partly reflects the impact of these voter suppression laws, which must be repealed. The government should be encouraging everyone to have their say; not locking them out of the democratic process. For democracy to work for everyone, it has to include everyone.

I spent yesterday knocking on doors in Rush Common, Brixton Acre Lane, Brixton North, and Clapham Town, talking to parents at the school gates and reminding people that they needed photo ID to vote. With the Mayoral results set to be announced tomorrow and reports of a tight race, all we can do now is cross our fingers and hope!

Show Racism the Red Card

Show Racism the Red Card are leading the charge for change in education, advocating for the implementation of an anti-racist curriculum. It’s imperative that we instill anti-racist principles within our education system, empowering young people to value everyone, recognise racism and challenge prejudice in all its forms. Beyond the classroom, anti-racism must also be woven into the fabric of our workplaces across the UK. By implementing anti-racist policies, we can actively combat the alarming rise in hate and fear within our society. 

Youth CND Talk: Empowering Tomorrow’s Leaders for Peace

Together with Jeremy Corbyn MP, I had the privilege of hosting the Youth and Student branch of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) in Parliament. We spoke about the role of campaign groups in politics, the ongoing efforts within Parliament towards fostering peace and the indispensable role of youth activism in holding governments accountable. 

It was energising to engage with a room full of young people dedicated to building a more peaceful and democratic world, free from the threat of nuclear annihilation. Their commitment to advocating for a brighter future serves as a beacon of hope in a time of escalating nuclear tensions. In today’s political climate, where military spending takes precedence over citizens’ wellbeing, the presence of pro-peace advocates within Parliament is more crucial than ever. 

Appearing on ITV: Peston

I went on ITV: Peston this week to talk about a range of issues: from spiralling food prices, to the war in Gaza, the government’s refugee deportation scheme, Labour’s workers’ rights programme and how we can fix the asylum system to make it work for people, not profit. You can watch the full show on ITV player. 

As ever, if you have any questions about the work I’m doing as MP, please get in touch at this address: bell.ribeiroaddy.mp@parliament.uk.

Best wishes,

Bell Ribeiro-Addy,
Labour MP for Streatham

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