Lammy praises contribution of ‘humble’ Jewish community to UK immigrant success

Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy has heaped praise on the “humble Jewish, Caribbean, Irish and Cypriot’ families he grew up alongside in his home constituency Tottenham, north London adding that for him “it is so important to understand the enterprise and hard work of the immigrant story in this country.”

In a speech delivered at a Labour Equalities event in Southwark, Lammy also admitted the after Keir Starmer’s shadow cabinet reshuffle earlier that day, there was now the prospect, should his party secure victory at the next election of him becoming a “black foreign secretary.”

Refencing the success immigrant families had come to achieve in this country due to their hard-work and aspiration the Tottenham MP said “all of us know how humble that that came to this country from somewhere else and made something of themselves, how humble they are about their achievements.”

He claimed Labour understood how “so many of those communities wanted the very best for their children from the education system.”

The shadow minister also noted that for many years the success of minority communities went unreported in mainstream media.

He praised the black newspaper The Voice along with publications like Jewish News and Eastern Eye for reporting these success stories along with the “social cohesion” enjoyed between different communities.

Lammy said that if he gets the opportunity to serve in government one issue he would wish to address was “remittances” sent around the word, but currently with “quite expensive charges.”

He also said he hoped to restore the 0.7 commitment in aid under a Labour government, and to boost “trade, business, enterprise, research and development.”

Earlier Annelise Dodds , shadow minister for women and equalities, had spoken of how Labour would “tear down barriers to opportunity.”

She said the party would “make sure change happened” and added:”You know the changes we have made because of the EHRC report, you know the changes we are going to make because of the Forde Report recommendations as well. Everyone who shares our values is welcome in the Labour Party, and needs to feel at home.”

Introducing the evening Ibrahim Dogus, co-founder of SMELabour, told guests that after arriving in this country from Turkey he came to value the “precious democracy” offered by this country, and noted the contribution made by “the Jewish community” along with many others.