David Lammy embarrassingly had to be handed a poppy halfway through Prime Minister’s Questions today after apparently forgetting to wear one.
Filling in for Sir Keir Starmer in the House of Commons, the Justice Secretary began the session by paying tribute to those who had fought ‘to defend our freedom’.
But, ahead of Remembrance Sunday this weekend, it was quickly noted he was not sporting a poppy despite an overwhelming majority of MPs doing so.
After around 15 minutes, Mr Lammy – who is also Deputy Prime Minister – was handed a poppy pin by Cabinet colleague Bridget Phillipson to cover his blushes.
Answering a question from Tory MP Bob Blackman, Mr Lammy suggested the blunder was because he had bought a new suit.
‘I bought a new suit this morning because my Godmother said she would be watching,’ he told the Commons.
He added he was ‘very grateful’ to Ms Phillipson ‘for ensuring that despite wearing a new suit I have managed to put my poppy on’.
Conservative Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake said it was ‘a disgrace’ that Mr Lammy had stood in for Sir Keir at PMQs while not wearing a poppy.
Ahead of Remembrance Sunday this weekend, it was quickly noted David Lammy was not sporting a poppy despite an overwhelming majority of MPs doing so
After around 15 minutes, the Deputy Prime Minister was handed a poppy pin by Cabinet colleague Bridget Phillipson to cover his blushes
Conservative Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake said it was ‘a disgrace’ that Mr Lammy had stood in for Sir Keir Starmer at PMQs while not wearing a poppy
Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice posted on X: ‘Deputy Prime Minister fails to wear poppy whilst remembering our brave veterans and the fallen.’
It was later claimed the poppy pin passed to Mr Lammy by Ms Phillipson had belonged to Calvin Bailey, another Labour MP and an RAF veteran who served in Afghanistan.
He was said to have removed his poppy in order to give it to Mr Lammy.
At the beginning of PMQs at lunchtime, Mr Lammy said: ‘This weekend is Remembrance Sunday.
‘We will never forget those who fought to defend our freedom. It’s been one of the greatest honours of my career to meet our troops around the world, whether in Cyprus, the Gulf or Australia.
‘This week, the Government announced the biggest renewal of armed forces housing in more than 50 years, kickstarting one of Britain’s most ambitious building programmes in decades.’
Later, addressing his missing poppy, Mr Lammy said: ‘I bought a new suit this morning because my godmother said she would be watching.’
He added: ‘I’m very grateful to the honourable member for Sunderland South (Ms Phillipson) for ensuring that despite wearing a new suit, I’ve managed to put my poppy on.
‘We wear a poppy to remember all those who fought and died for this country. They represented every walk of life, every race and every religion.’
In a post on X, Mr Hollinrake said: ‘A disgrace that David Lammy, the Deputy Prime Minister of this nation and standing in for the Prime Minister at PMQs, is not wearing a poppy.’
