FORMER Bristol MP Thangam Debbonaire has taken her seat in the House of Lords after being awarded a life peerage last month.
The 58-year-old, who represented Bristol West for Labour from 2015 until July’s general election, wore the traditional scarlet robes during her introductory ceremony. She will now be known as Baroness Debbonaire of De Beauvoir Town in the London Borough of Hackney.
Debbonaire lost her seat to Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer in the newly-created Bristol Central constituency during the 2024 election – a rare defeat for Labour amid their landslide victory.
Following her electoral loss, she suggested that Labour’s “lack of a strong narrative” over the war in Gaza had contributed to her defeat.
During her time in Parliament, Debbonaire held several shadow cabinet positions, most recently serving as shadow secretary of state for culture, media and sport from 2023 to 2024. Her previous roles included shadow housing secretary and shadow leader of the House of Commons.
She became the second Bristol politician to enter the Lords recently, following former city mayor Marvin Rees, who took his seat as Lord Rees of Easton on February 24.
Wal Chahal