| The Right Honourable David Lammy FRSA MP |
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|---|---|
| Minister of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills | |
| In office 5 October 2008 – 11 May 2010 |
|
| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown |
| Preceded by | Bill Rammell |
| Succeeded by | David Willetts |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills | |
| In office 28 June 2007 – 5 October 2008 |
|
| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown |
| Preceded by | New department |
| Succeeded by | Siôn Simon |
| Baby of the House | |
| In office 22 June 2000 – 18 September 2003 |
|
| Preceded by | Chris Leslie |
| Succeeded by | Sarah Teather |
| Member of Parliament for Tottenham |
|
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 22 June 2000 |
|
| Preceded by | Bernie Grant |
| Majority | 16,931 (41.6%) |
| Member of the London Assembly for the Labour Party (London-wide) |
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| In office 4 May 2000 – July 2000 |
|
| Preceded by | New constituency |
| Succeeded by | Jennette Arnold |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 19 July 1972 Tottenham, London, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouse(s) | Nicola Green |
| Alma mater | School of Oriental and African Studies, Harvard Law School |
| Religion | Anglican[1] |
| Website | www.davidlammy.co.uk |
David Lindon Lammy FRSA[2] (born 19 July 1972) is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tottenham since 2000.
Lammy has commented on Britain's history of slavery.[3][4][5]
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Lammy was born in Tottenham, North London, to Guyanese parents[6] and brought up by his mother. Lammy advocates positive parenting and he has said fathers should be active in the lives of their children. Lammy has spoken publicly on the topic of black fatherhood in the 21st Century, attempting to address issues with fatherhood, particularly in the black working class.[7]
Lammy was awarded an Inner London Education Authority choral scholarship to The King's School, Peterborough. He studied law at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, obtaining a first class degree. Lammy went onto study a Master's degree at Harvard Law School and is a member of Lincoln's Inn having been called to the Bar of England and Wales in 1994.
In 2000 he was elected for Labour on the London-wide list to the London Assembly. During the London election campaign the sitting member for Tottenham, Bernie Grant, died and Lammy was selected as the Labour candidate. He was elected to the seat, on a low turnout, in a by-election held on 22 June 2000. Upon his election Lammy become the Baby of the House. In 2002 he became Parliamentary under-Secretary in the Department of Health. In 2003 Lammy was appointed as a Minister in the Department for Constitutional Affairs. After the 2005 general election Lammy was appointed Minister for Culture at the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.
In June 2007 Lammy was appointed as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. In October 2008 he was promoted to Minister of State and was appointed to the Privy Council. In June 2009 the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills was abolished and merged with the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform to form the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. Lammy continued in the new department in his previous role as the Minister for Higher Education.
After Labour lost the 2010 general election a Labour Party leadership contest was announced. During the contest Lammy nominated Diane Abbott, although declaring his support for David Miliband. After the election of Ed Miliband, Lammy pledged his full support for Miliband, though he turned down a post in the Shadow Cabinet offered by Miliband. Lammy asserted a need to speak on a wide range of issues that would arise in his constituency due to the large cuts in the public services that his constituents rely on.[8] Deciding instead to become a back-bench opposition MP. Lammy has opposed the Coalition Government's comprehensive spending review.
In 2010 there were suggestions that Lammy might stand for election as Mayor of London in 2012. Lammy pledged his support to Ken Livingstone's bid to become the Labour London Mayoral candidate, declaring him 'London's Mayor in waiting'[9]. Lammy became Livingstone's selection campaign chair.
On election night in 2005 Lammy described George Galloway of the Respect party as a "carpetbagger" and said that he had "come down from Scotland to whip up racial tensions".[10] Galloway contested that, saying his previous constituency in Scotland had been dissolved and that he had the right to stand as a British MP wherever he had support.
On 11 August 2011, in an address to Parliament, Lammy attributed part of the cause for the riots to, not government cuts, but "A Grand Theft Auto culture that glamorises violence. A consumer culture fixated on the brands we wear, not who we are and what we achieve. A gang culture with warped notions of loyalty, respect and honour."[11]
Lammy is married to Nicola Green and has two children.[12]
In November 2011, he published a book - "Out of the Ashes: Britain after the riots" - that serves as his account on the causes and consequences of the August 2011 riots.[13]
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by new position |
Member of the London Assembly (London-wide list) May 2000–July 2000 |
Succeeded by Jennette Arnold |
| Preceded by Bernie Grant |
Member of Parliament for Tottenham 2000–present |
Incumbent |
| Preceded by Chris Leslie |
Baby of the House 2000–2003 |
Succeeded by Sarah Teather |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Estelle Morris Minister for the Arts |
Minister for Culture 2005-2007 |
Succeeded by Margaret Hodge Minister for Culture, Creative Industries and Tourism |
| Preceded by Bill Rammell |
Minister of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills {{{years}}} |
Succeeded by Position Re-allocated |
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