David Lammy Reflects on Friendship with US Vice-President and Personal Struggles
David Lammy has spoken about his friendship with US Vice-President JD Vance, noting they share a bond over their challenging upbringings.
In interviews with CuriosityNews, conducted over several weeks, the foreign secretary recalled a "wonderful hour and a half" spent with Vance at the US embassy in Italy in May, alongside Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner.
Lammy said he attended a religious service at Vance’s home and considers him a "friend," explaining that the Vice-President relates to him due to their similar backgrounds.
"I remember being at the inauguration of the new pope in Rome with Angela Rayner and JD Vance," he said. “They were having drinks... I really wanted rosé but had a Diet Coke instead.”
He added that they were all "not just working-class politicians, but people with difficult childhoods."
Reflecting on an awkward meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Donald Trump, and Vance in the Oval Office, Lammy admitted feeling guilty for not preparing Ukrainian officials better.
"If I’m honest, I felt—arrghhh!" he said. “Why didn’t I do more to support them? I was being hard on myself, but the guilt stayed.”
Lammy also expressed unease over Keir Starmer’s controversial remarks on immigration, which critics compared to Enoch Powell’s rhetoric. “The phrasing was poor,” he said. “I would have advised removing it.”
On Gaza, he spoke of his deep frustration and sadness over the conflict with Israel. Conditions were “desperate for civilians and hostages,” he said, stressing the urgent need for a ceasefire.
Lammy also said he wanted to visit Gaza “as soon as possible,” though he noted that formal recognition of Palestinian statehood was a strategic move best used carefully.
Reflecting on his past, Lammy discussed the impact of his father—an abusive alcoholic who left for the US and later died without reconciliation.
“His absence was devastating,” Lammy said. “Part of me wondered if he ever loved me.” Though he struggled with the loss, he added, “I’ve always been someone who forgives.”
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