David Lammy’s first appearance leading Prime Minister’s Questions was a baptism of fire, and not only for the political blows traded across the chamber.
The Deputy Prime Minister, standing in for Sir Keir Starmer while he attends the Cop30 summit in Brazil, began the session without a Remembrance poppy on his lapel, sparking a flurry of attention even before the questions turned hostile.
The oversight, immediately noticed on the packed green benches, became one of the most talked-about moments of the session. Lammy, who had bought a new suit for the occasion, appeared at the despatch box bare-lapelled until a colleague quietly handed him a poppy mid-session.
By the time photographers snapped him again, the symbol was in place. Lammy later offered a good-humoured explanation, thanking Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson for lending him one and telling MPs: “My Godmother said she would be watching… I am very grateful, despite the new suit, to have managed to put my poppy on.”
It was an unusually human moment in an otherwise combative and tightly wound PMQs, particularly poignant given that Remembrance commemorations are days away and Lammy was making his debut in the role.
Lammy prepares to take on PMQs for the first time
With Starmer abroad, today marked the first time Lammy has ever led PMQs. Angela Rayner had previously deputised before resigning over underpaid stamp duty, and the Conservatives continued their rotation of stand-ins, with Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge taking the lead.
Expectations build ahead of questions
Before the session began, anticipation centred around the Government’s willingness to break tax promises, Lammy’s dual role as Justice Secretary, and the aftermath of the Huntingdon train stabbing, issues the Tories were expected to seize on.
Lammy began PMQs by paying tribute to the victims and those who showed “tremendous courage” during the weekend stabbing attack near Huntingdon. He spoke personally of having spent seven years at school in Peterborough and thanked emergency services for their professionalism.
Apology over Epping assault case
Cartlidge opened with the case of Hadush Kebatu, the illegal migrant who assaulted a 14-year-old girl and was released from prison by accident. He pressed Lammy to apologise to the family, citing the father’s claim that the Government had “failed them relentlessly.”
Lammy replied that he had already apologised for the “anxiety caused” during Kebatu’s time at large and repeated that apology.
Pressure intensifies over prison releases
The Tory frontbencher then pressed Lammy five times to confirm that no other asylum-seeking offenders had been mistakenly released since Kebatu. Lammy refused each time to give a categorical assurance.
“Get a grip, man,” he shot back, insisting that Dame Anne Owens, the former deputy commissioner of the Met, would determine the facts. He accused the Conservatives of dodging responsibility for “spikes since 2021 under [their] watch.”
Lammy blames Tory legacy for ‘mess’ in prisons
Lammy broadened his attack, accusing the Conservatives of leaving the prison system “in a mess”, with suicides rising and prison officers cut. “We’ve deported more in the last year than they deported in the last five,” he added.
Foreign interference warnings dismissed
The session turned international as Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper warned of threats from Russia, China and what she described as Elon Musk’s online incitement. Lammy defended the Government’s record, pointing to the completed China policy audit, the national security strategy and the Strategic Defence Review.
Reform MP condemned for ‘racist language’
Lammy then criticised Reform MP Sarah Pochin for saying recent TV adverts were “full of black people” and “full of Asian people”. He called her remarks “disgraceful, racist language” that “belongs in the Dark Ages”, using the moment to argue that Reform would deliver “chaos” in government.
A poppy becomes the unexpected headline
Midway through these exchanges, the chamber noticed a sudden change: Lammy, who had started the session without a poppy, was now wearing one. His omission had drawn quiet murmurs across the benches, particularly significant given the solemnity surrounding Remembrance.
Lammy later addressed it directly, saying he had bought a new suit that morning and had forgotten to transfer his poppy. “I am very grateful to the member for Sunderland South for ensuring that despite wearing a new suit I have managed to put my poppy on,” he told MPs.
It was a moment that blended embarrassment with levity, but underscored the scrutiny that accompanies the Deputy Prime Minister’s every move.
Photographers capture the before-and-after
Official parliamentary photographers then released images showing Lammy first without, then with, the poppy. The contrast quickly circulated among MPs and journalists, becoming one of the most shared visuals of the session.
Lammy hits Farage over minimum wage and wealth
The session ended with a clash over comments by Nigel Farage, who suggested earlier this week that the minimum wage for young people is too high for businesses. Lammy responded sharply, highlighting Farage’s earnings as declared in his register of interests.
“He’s making quite a lot out of gold bullion,” Lammy said. “Why does he want to cut the minimum wage for people who are not making even one per cent of what he is?”
He cast Labour as “on the side of young people,” pointing to wage boosts and the youth guarantee, and urged voters to compare that with the record of “the two other parties”.
Conclusion
Lammy’s first PMQs as stand in for the Prime Minister delivered both high stakes political clashes and an unexpectedly human moment that overshadowed much of the morning. While he handled some of the exchanges with force, his refusal to provide clarity on further prison release errors is certain to arm the Conservatives with ammunition in the days ahead.
Main Image: ©House of Commons CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
