David Lammy, who has family roots in Guyana, has become the most senior black person ever in a British Labour government after being appointed foreign, commonwealth and development secretary following his party’s sweeping election victory on July 4.
Though only taking just over one third of the popular vote in last week’s poll, Labour roared to a near historic majority in the House of Commons as it won 411 of the seats in the 650-member chamber after 14 years of Conservative Party rule.
The scale of the victory and the fracturing of right-wing support — which was split between the outgoing Conservatives and firebrand Nigel Farage’s Reform Party — looks likely to keep Labour in power for at least two terms, according to many observers.
New United Kingdom Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer speaks to supporters the day after the election last week. (Photo: FACEBOOK)
Mr. Lammy, who holds joint British and Guyanese nationality, has said, “I’m of African descent, African-Caribbean descent, but I am English.”
While he holds what is known as one of the great offices of state, Mr. Lammy was the only black person appointed to the new 25-member cabinet.
Beneficial ownership
The new foreign secretary has previously spoken about the need to combat “dirty money” in the UK and its offshore financial hubs.
In May, he called for the creation of an international anti-corruption court and a “live-streamed global data exchange on beneficial ownership of corporate structures” as he cited estimates that 40 percent of the money laundered around the globe is channelled through London and the UK’s overseas territories and crown dependencies.
David Lammy, right, was welcomed as the new foreign, commonwealth and development secretary on July 5. (Photo: FCDO)
The Labour manifesto, the party’s programme for government for the next five years, also pledged to clamp down on money crime in Britain and the OTs.
“Labour will work with our allies and international financial centres to tackle corruption and money laundering, including in Britain, crown dependencies and in British overseas territories,” the manifesto stated.
The transfer of power was also expected to see newly appointed FCDO minister of state Stephen Doughty take responsibility for the OTs, the brief he covered in opposition. Mr. Doughty has been a member of Parliament since 2012 and features on the Pinc List of leading Welsh LGBTQ+ figures.
Margaret Hodge
In another change, outgoing veteran Labour MP Dame Margaret Hodge was given a seat in the House of Lords, where she is expected to continue her long-standing campaign for greater financial transparency in OTs including the Virgin Islands.
In outspoken remarks in April, Dame Margaret called on the UK government to “force” the VI to bring in a public register of beneficial ownership — which would allow people to see who owns companies registered in the territory.
Dame Margaret accused the VI of “dragging its feet” on the issue.
Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley said last week that the VI will expand access to the register by the middle of next year, but he firmly ruled out “uninhibited” public scrutiny of the list.
This position could set the VI government on a collision course with the new government in London.
Other VI leaders have also expressed concerns. On the eve of Labour’s election victory last week, opposition member Myron Walwyn (R-D6) warned the House of Assembly against granting full public access to the register.
“I am scared about that open registry because it has the potential to decimate the economy of this country. You got the Labour woman there, the name of Margaret [Hodge]: I don’t understand why it is she is so persistent in what she is doing. If they get power now in the UK, what does that mean for us?”
Economic impacts?
He added that a fully public register could hit the VI economy hard.
“An open registry will affect our businesses,” he warned. “And even if you have a ten percent drop in financial services, do you understand what that does in terms of government’s ability to provide services to its people? It’s a major matter.”
The only other reference to the OTs in the Labour manifesto included a pledge to honour the territories’ “sovereignty.”
“Defending our security also means protecting the British overseas territories and crown dependencies, including the Falklands and Gibraltar,” the manifesto stated. “Labour will always defend their sovereignty and right to self-determination.”
