No sooner had she announced her plans to run, GB News launched a vitriolic attack, framing Ribeiro-Addy as a dangerous radical.
As the race to replace Angela Rayner as deputy prime minister began, the usual suspects in the right-wing media wasted no time sharpening their knives, not just for the contest, but for one candidate in particular – Bell Ribeiro-Addy.
The MP for Clapham and Brixton Hill’s bid was short-lived. She received just 24 nominations, well shy of the 80 required to make it through to the next stage.
But the brevity of her candidacy didn’t stop the attacks. No sooner had she announced her plans to run, GB News launched a vitriolic attack, framing Ribeiro-Addy as a dangerous radical.
“Hard-left Labour rebel who demanded ‘action on £18tn slavery reparations’ enters race to replace Angela Rayner,” blared the headline.
The article went on to note her affiliation with the Socialist Campaign Group, painting her as a rebellious voice against Keir Starmer’s leadership.
For the record, the Socialist Campaign Group is one of the longest surviving parliamentary legacies of Labour’s ‘new left.’ It rose to prominence in the ‘70s and ‘80s and was headed by the iconic left-winger Tony Benn.
Yes, the same Tony Benn, who, for years, was the right-wing media’s target, until they decided he was no longer a threat and turned him into a national treasure.
The Sun took a similar line, with the headline: “ON YOUR MARX: Loyal minister and lefty MPs join race to replace Angela Rayner as Deputy Labour Leader.”
The article described Ribeiro-Addy as the “Corbynite candidate,” referencing her past work with Diane Abbott and her advocacy on issues ranging from reparations for slavery to the repatriation of colonial artefacts. Rather than reflections of moral clarity or historical accountability, to GB News and the Sun, these positions are proof of dangerous radicalism.
Lost in the media circus is what Ribeiro-Addy actually stands for. She has consistently championed causes that resonate with Labour’s traditional base that is social justice, anti-austerity, civil liberties, and international solidarity. She opposed the welfare cuts under Starmer’s leadership, voted for a ceasefire in Gaza, and has taken a clear position against the authoritarianism represented by the proscription of protest groups like Palestine Action.
Writing for the Guardian this week, the Clapham and Brixton Hill MP delivered a clear message: “We can’t out-Reform Reform. But we can be more Labour.”
But the message from the right-wing press is also clear: if you’re a Black woman, a socialist, and unapologetically rooted in anti-racist, pro-worker politics, expect to be caricatured and demonised at every turn.
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