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David Lindon Lammy (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 the UK's history of slavery, both in his role as Culture Minister to mark the 200th anniversary of the end of the slave trade in Britain and because he suspects there were slaves amongst his ancestors.

Early life and Education

Lammy was born in Tottenham North London, to Guyanese parents and brought up by his mother after his father left the family. Lammy attributes being bough up by a single parent as the rason he is an advocate's of positive parenting and has publicly called for fathers to be active and not absent in the lives of their children. Lammy's started the organaisation 'Black Fatherhood in the 21st Century' which attempted to challenge issues with fatherhood particularly within the black working class community.. Lammy has attempted to challenge, by using himself as example, the perception that there are few positive and high achieving Black men in Britain.

Lammy was awarded an Inner London Education Authority choral scholarship to The King's School, Peterborough. He then studied Law at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London obtaining a first class degree. Lammy then 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.

Political career

Early career and Government 2000 - 2010

In 2000, he was elected as for Labour on the London-wide list to the London Assembly. During the London election campaign, the sitting Member of Parliament for Tottenham Bernie Grant died during the campaign, and Lammy was selected as the Labour candidate. Lammy was elected to the seat, on a low turnout, in a by-election held on 22 June 2000.Upon his election Lammy was becoming the Baby of the House. in 2002 Lammy was appointed to a position in government as a Parliamentary under Secretary in the Deaprtment of Haelth. In 2003 Lammy was appointed as a Minister in the Department for Constitutional Affairs. Following 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 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.

Back-bench MP 2010- Onwards

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 pledging his full support for Milliband, though he turned down a job in the Shadow Cabinet offered by Ed Miliband. Lammy stated the 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.". Deciding instead to become a back-bench opposition MP, Lammy has opposed the Coalition Governments comprehensive spending review.

2012 Mayor of London

In 2010 calls for Lammy to run for Mayor of London in 2012 created a momentum behind a possible campaign. However, Lammy pledged his support to Ken Livingstone's bid to become the Labour London Mayoral candidate, declaring him 'London's Mayor in waiting' . Lammy became Livingstone's selection campaign chair.

Political controversy

On general election night in 2005 Lammy controversially dubbed George Galloway, of the Respect party, a "carpetbagger", and said he had "come down from Scotland to whip up racial tensions". Galloway contested that his prior constituency in Scotland was dissolved and that he had a right to stand as a British MP wherever he had support.

Personal life

Lammy is married to Nicola Green.

References

1. "Culture Minister David Lammy's Keynote Speech to 'Slavery: Unfinished Business' Conference".
2. "BBC News: Head-to-head: Slavery 'sorrow'". 27 November 2006. Retrieved 2 January 2010.
3. Time Out - London's slave trade
4. David Lammy's website
5. YouTube - Clip of BBC Election 2005 coverage
6. Curtis, Polly (18 November 2008). "High expectations". The Guardian. London.

External links

• David Lammy official website
• Guardian Unlimited Politics – Ask Aristotle: David Lammy MP
• Guardian Unlimited Politics – Analysis of Lammy's position on key votes
• TheyWorkForYou.com – David Lammy MP
• The Public Whip – David Lammy's voting record

Template:Persondata

• 1972 births
• Alumni of the School of Oriental and African Studies
• Harvard Law School alumni
• Labour MPs (UK)
• Living people
• Labour Members of the London Assembly
• Members of the United Kingdom Parliament for English constituencies
• People from Harringay
• People from Tottenham
• UK MPs 1997–2001
• UK MPs 2001–2005
• UK MPs 2005–2010
• Black British politicians
• English people of Guyanese descent
• UK MPs 2010–