United Kingdom’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer has named the Rt Hon David Lammy as the new Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs.
Lammy, a seasoned politician and lawyer, expressed his profound gratitude, stating, “It is the honour of my life to be appointed Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs. The world faces huge challenges, but we will navigate them with the UK’s enormous strengths. We will reconnect Britain for our security and prosperity at home.”
He was born on July 19, 1972, in Whittington Hospital, London, to Guyanese parents David and Rosalind Lammy, has had an illustrious career in politics and law. A member of the Labour Party, he has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tottenham since the 2000 Tottenham by-election. His political journey includes serving as a minister under both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, with his last role being the Minister of State for Universities in the Brown ministry.
Lammy’s educational background is notable. He studied law at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, and was called to the bar of England and Wales in 1994 at Lincoln’s Inn. He furthered his education at Harvard University, becoming the first black Briton to attend Harvard Law School, where he earned a Master of Laws degree in 1997. Post-Harvard, Lammy worked as an attorney in California and then in London before fully transitioning into his political career.
In 2000, Lammy was elected to the London Assembly and subsequently won the Labour candidacy for Tottenham following the death of Bernie Grant. He secured the parliamentary seat in a by-election with 53.5% of the vote and a majority of 5,646, becoming the youngest MP in the House of Commons at the time. Lammy was re-elected in the 2001 general election with an increased vote share of 67.5% and a majority of 16,916.
Beyond his political career, Lammy is also an accomplished author, known for his books “Tribes” and “Out of the Ashes.” He continues to contribute to academia as a visiting professor of practice at SOAS.
David Lammy’s appointment comes at a time when the UK faces numerous global challenges, and his extensive experience and commitment to public service are expected to play a crucial role in navigating these complexities.
