David Lammy is a British politician, barrister and author whose journey from Tottenham to some of the highest offices in government has made him one of the most recognisable figures in contemporary British public life.
Born in London in 1972 to Guyanese parents, Lammy was raised in Tottenham by his mother. His connection to Peterborough began when he won a choral scholarship to The King’s School, Peterborough, one of the country’s few state cathedral schools. As a young chorister, he sang at Peterborough Cathedral and later became Head Boy at King’s, an experience he has often described as a formative turning point in his life.
After leaving Peterborough, Lammy studied law at SOAS, University of London, was called to the Bar, and later became the first Black Briton to study a Master of Laws at Harvard Law School. In 2000, at the age of 27, he was elected as MP for Tottenham, becoming the youngest MP in the House of Commons at the time.
Over his political career, Lammy has served in a range of ministerial and shadow cabinet roles, building a reputation for his work on social justice, education, race equality, justice reform and international affairs. He has also written and spoken widely about identity, belonging, family, opportunity and the importance of widening access to education.
For Peterborough, David Lammy’s story is a reminder of the city’s role in shaping lives far beyond its boundaries: a former King’s School pupil and Peterborough Cathedral chorister whose path from the city led to national leadership and international influence.