South London MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy has become the first to officially throw her hat in the ring to become Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, as she accused Sir Keir Starmer of “haemorrhaging votes” to their political rivals.
The Clapham and Brixton Hill MP said Labour members were unhappy with her party’s approach to the conflict in Gaza, winter fuel allowance and welfare cuts calling for Labour to do “so much better”.
Speaking to the BBC’s Today programme, the MP said it was “absolutely unfair” that MPs only have three days to consider who should be put forward to be the new Labour deputy leader.
She said: “We do have to accept that we have to have a discussion about what members don’t like, and what voters don’t like, and what’s gone wrong.
“It’s very important to note that a load of Labour members and voters aren’t happy about the situation in Gaza, the winter fuel allowance, the welfare cuts.
“All of these things are things that we should be discussing. The idea that we should not have a debate because it may seem critical of the party is wrong.”
Pressed on how it would work, having a deputy leader who disagrees with the Prime Minister, she insisted the “Labour party is a broad church”.
The MP continued: “One homogeneous view isn’t going to get us anywhere at the moment.
“We are currently haemorrhaging votes to the Lib Dems, to the Greens. All we seem to do at the moment is chase down Reform and we cannot do that.
“We are not good at out-reforming Reform but we can do so much better at being Labour.”
I am putting myself forward to stand as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party. I look forward to explaining why, over the three short and undemocratic days we have to do so.
— Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP (@BellRibeiroAddy) September 8, 2025
The south London MP also warned that if her party continues in the same direction it would not be able to attract or retain voters.
Ms Ribeiro-Addy had announced she was running for deputy leader in a post on X on Monday night, quipping: “I look forward to explaining why, over the three short and undemocratic days we have to do so.”
She was joined by Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson who announced she was also running for the deputy leadership on Tuesday morning.
In a statement, she said: “Today I am putting myself forward as a candidate for the deputy leadership of the Labour Party, to unite our great party and deliver for working people.
“I am a proud working-class woman from the north east. I have come from a single parent family on a tough council street, all the way to the Cabinet, determined to deliver better life chances for young people growing up in our country.
“I’ve taken on powerful vested interests in the education sector – and even as they threw everything at me, I have never taken a backwards step. I will bring that same determination to every battle ahead of us.
“Because make no mistake: we are in a fight. We all know the dangers Reform poses our country.
“But not only am I ready for it: I’ve proven we can do it. I’ve shown we can beat Farage in the north-east, while staying true to the Labour Party’s values of equality, fairness and social justice.
“With me as deputy leader we will beat them right across the country and unite to deliver the opportunity that working people across this great country deserve.”
MPs hoping to replace Angela Rayner as the party’s deputy leader have until Thursday to secure the support of colleagues at Westminster.
Ms Rayner dramatically exited the Labour cabinet on Friday, resigning after she was found to have breached the ministerial code by underpaying stamp duty on a seafront flat in Hove earlier this year.
The MP’s resignation sent Westminster into a spin as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer reshuffled his cabinet.
Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Committee chairwoman MP Dame Emily Thornberry has indicated she is thinking about a bid, but like both Sir Keir and new Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, she represents a north London constituency which could count against her.
Dame Emily is the Islington South MP next door to Sir Keir in Holborn and St Pancras.
Speculation is growing that Tooting MP Dr Rosena Allin-Khan may also be preparing to run for deputy leader.
The successful candidate will replace Ms Rayner as deputy Labour leader but not as deputy prime minister, a position which has been handed to Mr Lammy, who has also become the new Justice Secretary.
On Tuesday morning, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said he would prefer the next deputy leader of his party to be a woman.
Mr Streeting told Times Radio: “I would certainly prefer the next deputy leader to be a woman.”
Asked whether it should be a woman from the north of England on Times Radio, the Ilford North MP said: “Without being disrespectful to some brilliant women in London who are standing, like Emily Thornberry, who I’ve got lots of respect for, I can well understand why lots of my colleagues are saying we should have a deputy leader from outside London to broaden perspectives.”
He said that the Cabinet was already drawn from “right across the whole of the United Kingdom”.
