Labour MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle close to tears as he reveals HIV diagnosis in emotional Commons speech

Brighton Kempton MP becomes first politician to reveal his HIV status in parliament

A Labour MP fought back tears as he revealed he was HIV positive in an emotional speech to parliament.

MPs gave Lloyd Russell-Moyle a rare standing ovation, when he spoke out publicly about the challenges he has faced since his diagnosis nine years ago.

The Brighton Kemptown MP became the first politician to reveal his HIV status in the House of Commons and the second MP ever to disclose he is living with the condition, after former Labour cabinet minister Chris Smith.

Speaking ahead of World Aids Day, Mr Russell-Moyle said: “Next year I’ll be marking an anniversary of my own, 10 years since I became HIV positive.

“It’s been a long journey – from the fear to acceptance and from today’s advocacy, knowing my treatment keeps me healthy and that it protects any partner I have.”

He said Britain was “on the cusp of eradicating new HIV transmissions,” but he warned that swingeing public health cuts and the limited roll-out of preventative medications such as PrEP could hamper that progress.

The 32-year-old from Brighton told MPs: “I wanted to be able to stand here in this place and say to those that are living with HIV, that their status does not define them.

“That we can be whoever we want to be and to those who haven’t been tested, maybe because out of fear, I say to you; it is better to live in knowledge than die in fear.”

The narrative around HIV has barely changed since the “tombs of the 1980s”, creating a “spectre of fear” and stigma around the disease, he told MPs.

Mr Russell-Moyle said he had become HIV positive “undetectable” because he takes the right medication, which means it lies undetectable and dormant in his body so it cannot be passed on to another partner.

“I can’t transmit HIV to my sexual partner, I have a perfectly healthy life, so my announcement here today should go totally unnoticed,” he said.

Jeremy Corbyn, who was in the chamber, praised his Labour colleague for his efforts to tackle the stigma carried by an HIV positive diagnosis.

“Lloyd has shown enormous courage today”, the Labour leader said.

“I know the whole Labour party is proud of him. His dignity and hope will inspire people across the country and around the world – those with HIV, and also those of us who will always stand together with them.”

Mr Corbyn also spoke with pride about the courage of former cabinet minister Lord Smith, who became the first openly gay MP in 1984 and also became the first MP to reveal he was living with HIV in 2005.

At the end of the debate, MPs broke Commons convention by giving Mr Russell-Moyle a standing ovation.

Deputy speaker Lindsay Hoyle praised Mr Russell-Moyle for a “brave” and “moving” speech, adding it has “given hope to a lot of people around the world”.

Campaigners praised the MP for his actions, which “does a lot to normalise HIV in the public’s mind”.

Ian Green, chief executive of the Terrance Higgins Trust, said: “I think he’s done everybody a service about talking about his own personal journey with HIV.

“I think it will go a long way to say that he’s very successful, he’s a member of parliament, he has no issues in terms of representing his constituency as somebody living with HIV. So that does a lot to normalise HIV in the public’s mind.

“I think he has taken a very important decision for him, and from talking to him, I know the reason he wants to do this is because he wants to tackle the stigma associated with HIV head on.”

Deborah Gold, chief executive of National Aids Trust, said stigma was “gradually being eroded” by people being open and proud, although no one should ever be obliged to open up about their HIV status.

She said: “HIV, as Lloyd shows us, is no longer a death sentence and for most, it no longer even significantly compromises their health.

“It is a manageable condition; illness and the risk of passing it on to others can be completely averted with simple daily medication. These simple messages can be a powerful antidote to HIV stigma.

“As the first MP to disclose their HIV status in the House, Lloyd has taken a big step and we absolutely applaud him.”