News / Politics
Former Bristol West MP becomes Baroness Debbonaire of De Beauvoir Town in the London Borough of Hackney
Thangam Elizabeth Rachel Debbonaire is now officially known as Baroness Debbonaire of De Beauvoir Town in the London Borough of Hackney.
The ex-member of parliament for Bristol West will be joining ex-Bristol mayor Lord Rees of Easton in the House of Lords, with both nominated to be Labour peers by prime minister Keir Starmer.
Baroness Debbonaire recently moved to Newport from her former home in St Werburgh’s.
St Werburgh’s is within the new constituency of Bristol Central now held by Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer.
The new baroness was MP for Bristol West from 2015 to 2024, during which time she also held a number of shadow cabinet positions.
De Beauvoir Square is a classically laid out garden square which is protected under the London Squares Preservation Act of 1931 – photo: Right Move
It is not the first time that the Peterborough-born former professional cellist has had a name change.
Until her 20s, she was known as Thangam Singh but then changed her surname by deed poll to Debbonaire after a relative from her first marriage.
Keir Starmer and Thangam Debbonaire at a special reception at Starmer’s parliamentary office for Bristol’s bus boycott heroes – photo: Labour Party
De Beauvoir is a predominantly residential area of Hackney named after the de Beauvoir family, lords of Balmes, who owned the land that was laid out for housing from the 1830s.
Bristol24/7 has asked Baroness Debonnaire why she has chosen this area of east London for her territorial designation.
According to Debrett’s, the territorial designation “is usually a description of the place with which the peer or peeress has a connection or where he or she has a residence”.
Main photo: Rob Browne
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