David Lammy has spoken about his friendship with US Vice President JD Vance, bonding over their challenging working-class upbringings. In interviews with the Guardian conducted over several weeks, the UK Foreign Secretary recalled a “wonderful hour and a half” spent with Vance and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner over drinks at the US embassy in Italy last May.
Lammy described attending mass at Vance’s home and considers him a friend, noting they connect through their similar backgrounds. “I remember being in Rome with Angela Rayner and JD Vance for the new pope’s inauguration,” he said. “They were having drinks while I stuck to Diet Coke – though I really wanted that rosé.”
He reflected that they share more than just working-class roots: “We’re all politicians who came from dysfunctional childhoods. I could tell JD really relates to me and Angela. It was a special conversation.”
Lammy also expressed regret about Ukrainian President Zelensky’s tense first meeting with Donald Trump and Vance in the Oval Office, where they criticized Ukraine’s war efforts. “Honestly, I thought, Arrgh! Why didn’t I do more to prepare our Ukrainian colleagues? I was probably too hard on myself, but I still felt guilty.”
On domestic issues, Lammy admitted discomfort with Keir Starmer’s controversial “island of strangers” immigration speech, which drew comparisons to Enoch Powell. “The wording was poor—I’d have cut that line if I’d seen it beforehand,” he said.
Regarding Gaza, Lammy shared his “deep frustration and sadness” over the conflict, calling the situation “desperate for civilians and hostages alike.” He emphasized the urgent need for a ceasefire and said he “100%” plans to visit Gaza as soon as possible. Before the UK government moved toward recognizing Palestinian statehood, he cautioned it was “a card you can only play once.”
Reflecting on his personal life, Lammy opened up about his difficult childhood, marked by his father’s alcoholism, violence toward his mother, and eventual abandonment. “My father never came back. That kind of loss is devastating—part of me wondered if it was my fault, if he ever loved me.” His father later died of throat cancer without reconciliation. “At the time, I couldn’t face seeing him. But I’ve always been someone who tries to build bridges. Maybe that’s why I’m suited to this role.”
Now as Foreign Secretary, Lammy feels a rare certainty: “For the first time, I don’t have impostor syndrome. I truly believe I’m where I’m meant to be.”
