BELL RIBEIRO-ADDY has been appointed as shadow immigration minister.

The Labour MP for Streatham was elected in the December 2019 election, taking the seat from former Labour MP Chuka Umunna.

In a tweet, Ribeiro-Addy said: “Pleased to be appointed shadow immigration minister. The #Windrush scandal’s far from over, the EU settlement scheme is a catastrophe. This [government] continues to enforce a #HostileEnvironment even turning away child refugees. @UKLabour will continue to fight for fairness and justice.”

The announcement has prompted messages of congratulations from Ribeiro-Addy’s fellow MPs and supporters such as Nadia Whittome and Florence Eshalomi.

Ribeiro-Addy, who has been vocal about the poor treatment many members of the Windrush generation have suffered at the hands of the authorities, has criticised the government’s “complicated” process for claiming compensation.

She tweeted yesterday: “The #Windrush scandal and the #HostileEnvironment that created it are far from over. Even now, there’s a massive financial barrier for victims trying to put together compensation claims through the complicated Home Office procedure.”

Ribeiro-Addy, who is of Ghanaian heritage, was born and raised in Brixton Hill. Before becoming an MP she was Diane Abbott’s chief of staff.

She has pledged to “work tirelessly” for her constituents and never forget who sent her to Parliament and why.

In a statement on her website, in which she outlined her vision, she criticised the Conservatives for “failing” Streatham.

Ribeiro-Addy, a supporter of Labour leadership candidate Rebecca Long-Bailey, has backed Richard Burgon, Labour MP for East Leeds, to be the next deputy leader of the party.

Writing on Politics Home earlier this month, she reflected on Labour’s devastating defeat in the 2019 general election and called for the party and its supporters to come together to support the its next leader.

“As we look ahead, it is imperative we act in a unified way. This is important not only for the future of the Labour party, but for all those who depend on us to be their voice, and British society as a whole,” she wrote.

She added: “We will need unity to stand up to Trump and Johnson. And whoever the Labour membership choose as our next leader, they will have my support to ensure that my constituents get the Labour government we need.”