David Lammy

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For the Scottish Member of Parliament from Ayrshire, see David Lambie.

David Lindon Lammy (born July 19, 1972) is a British politician and the Member of Parliament for Tottenham.

Lammy was born in Tottenham, a working-class area of North London, and brought up by his mother after his father left the family. He won an Inner London Education Authority choral scholarship to The King's School, Peterborough and studied for a degree in law at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, and then took a Masters degree at Harvard Law School, the first Black Briton to do so.

In 2000, he was elected as a Labour candidate on the London-wide list to the London Assembly. However, the sitting Member of Parliament for Tottenham Bernie Grant died during the campaign, and Lammy was selected to succeed him. He retained the seat, on a low turnout, in a by-election held on June 22, 2000, becoming the Baby of the House (the youngest MP). He was promoted to the government in 2002 and served at the Department for Constitutional Affairs from 2003 to 2005. Following the 2005 General Election, Lammy was appointed Minister for Culture under Tessa Jowell at the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.

Lammy has stated in speeches and articles that his vision for the arts in the UK is to move towards participation for all. In February 2006 he criticised the Arts Council of England leading to a conflict with its chairman.

As of January 2007, he has never voted against the government on a key vote[1]

He was formerly romantically linked to TV presenter June Sarpong. He is married to Nicola Green.

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Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Bernie Grant	Member of Parliament for Tottenham 2000 – present	Incumbent
Preceded by Christopher Leslie	Baby of the House 2000–2003	Succeeded by Sarah Teather
Political offices
Preceded by Estelle Morris	Minister of State for the Arts 2005 – present	Incumbent