Bambos Charalambous | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2024 | |
| Shadow Minister for the Middle East and North Africa | |
| In office 4 December 2021 – 9 June 2023 | |
| Leader | Keir Starmer |
| Preceded by | Wayne David |
| Succeeded by | Wayne David |
| Shadow Minister for Immigration | |
| In office 14 May 2021 – 4 December 2021 | |
| Leader | Keir Starmer |
| Preceded by | Holly Lynch |
| Succeeded by | Jack Dromey |
| Shadow Minister for Crime Reduction and Courts | |
| In office 9 April 2020 – 14 May 2021 | |
| Leader | Keir Starmer |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Holly Lynch |
| Shadow Minister for Justice | |
| In office 22 January 2020 – 9 April 2020 | |
| Leader | Jeremy Corbyn |
| Opposition Whip | |
| In office 6 December 2018 – 9 April 2020 | |
| Leader | Jeremy Corbyn |
| Preceded by | Fiona Onasanya |
| Member of Parliament forSouthgate and Wood Green Enfield Southgate (2017–2024) | |
| Assumed office 8 June 2017 | |
| Preceded by | David Burrowes |
| Majority | 15,300 (33.5%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Charalambos Charalambous 1967 (age 57–58) |
| Political party | Labour |
| Alma mater | Liverpool John Moores University |
| Website | Official website |
Charalambos "Bambos"Charalambous (born 1967) is a BritishLabour politician who has been theMember of Parliament (MP) forSouthgate and Wood Green, previouslyEnfield Southgate, since2017. While in opposition he held a series ofshadow ministry posts. He was suspended from the Labour Party during an investigation into a complaint against him between June 2023 and April 2024, but the complaint was not upheld.[1]
Charalambous grew up inNorth London and trained and worked as a solicitor. Before entering national politics, he served as a member ofEnfield Council for 24 years.
Charalambos "Bambos" Charalambous was born in 1967, in aGreek Cypriot family and raised inBowes Park.[2][3] His parents come fromKalo Chorio andFasoulla, both nearLimassol, in Cyprus.[4][5]
He was educated atChace Boys' Comprehensive School, followed byTottenham College and thenLiverpool Polytechnic[6] (nowLiverpool John Moores University). Charalambous read law and was elected as vice president of theStudents' Union in 1990.
Charalambous is a solicitor. Before and until his election as MP, he worked forHackney Council in their housing litigation team.[7]
He served as a member ofEnfield Council for thePalmers Green ward for 24 years. Whilst a councillor, he also served as an Associate Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture, Localism and Young People.[8]
At the2005 general election, Charalambous stood as theLabour Party candidate inEpping Forest, coming second with 21% of the vote behind the incumbentConservative MPEleanor Laing.[9]
Charalambous stood inEnfield Southgate at the2010 general election, coming second with 32.2% of the vote behind the incumbent Conservative MPDavid Burrowes.[10][11] He again stood in Enfield Southgate at the2015 general election, coming second with 39% of the vote, again behind David Burrowes.[12][13]
At the snap2017 general election, Charalambous was elected to Parliament as MP for Enfield Southgate with 51.7% of the vote and a majority of 4,355.[14][15][3][16][17]
Charalambous served on theJustice Select Committee. He also served as a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Groups on London, Cyprus, Crossrail Two, Autism, Sex Equality, Music, Global Education For All and London's Planning and Built Environment.[18]
In January 2018, he was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) toRebecca Long-Bailey, Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.[19] In December 2018, he was appointed as an Opposition (Labour) Whip.[20]
At the2019 general election, Charalambous was re-elected as MP for Enfield Southgate with a decreased vote share of 48.5% and an increased majority of 4,450.[21]
Charalambous was appointed as aShadow Minister for Justice in January 2020.[22]
FollowingKeir Starmer's election as Labour leader in April 2020, he joined the shadowHome Office team as the Shadow Minister for Crime Reduction and Courts.[23] Charalambous swapped roles withHolly Lynch in aminor reshuffle in May 2021, becoming the Shadow Minister for Immigration.[24] He served as Shadow Minister for the Middle East and North Africa from 2021 to June 2023, when he was suspended as a Labour MP following an allegation "that requires investigation by the Labour Party".[25][26] After a thorough investigation involving scrutiny by a board chaired by an independent lawyer, the complaint was not upheld and he had the whip restored in April 2024.[27]
Due to the2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, Charalambous' constituency of Enfield Southgate was abolished, and replaced withSouthgate and Wood Green. At the2024 general election, Charalambous was elected to Parliament as MP for Southgate and Wood Green with 51.1% of the vote and a majority of 15,300.[28]
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forEnfield Southgate 2017–2024 | Constituency abolished |
| New constituency | Member of Parliament forSouthgate and Wood Green 2024–present | Incumbent |
