David Lammy

Please note David is not currently accepting speaking engagements. David Lammy, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, was appointed on 5 July 2024. He became the Labour MP for Tottenham in June 2000 at 27 years old. Before this, David studied law at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and Harvard Law School, gaining admission to the Bar of England and Wales in 1994. He was appointed Shadow Foreign Secretary in November 2021, previously serving as Shadow Secretary of State for Justice and Shadow Lord Chancellor. From 2001 to 2010, David was a minister in the Labour government, becoming a Privy Councillor in 2008. He held positions in various departments, including Health and Constitutional Affairs, and served as Culture Minister and Higher Education and Intellectual Property Minister. In 2016-2017, David led an independent review into the treatment of Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) individuals in the criminal justice system. He authored "Out of the Ashes: Britain After the Riots," which examines the causes of the 2011 London riots, and "Tribes: How Our Need to Belong Can Make or Break Society" (2020). David is on the Advisory Board for the European Council on Foreign Relations and serves as President of the British and Foreign School Society. He is also an Associate Tenant Barrister at Doughty Street Chambers and a Professor in Practice at the London School of Economics and SOAS. As Foreign Secretary, Lammy oversees all Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office business, including foreign policy, national security, and intelligence policy. He is known for his advocacy on social issues, including the campaign for Windrush British Citizens to receive full citizenship and justice for families affected by the Grenfell Fire. In 2017, he published a significant review on treating BAME individuals in the criminal justice system. In 2020, he delivered a TED Talk in the Countdown series, highlighting the connection between climate change and social justice. Lammy is respected across the political spectrum and continues to address pressing societal issues with practical solutions.