David Lammy has been appointed as a new minister for health in May's Cabinet reshuffle, after a meteoric rise.
The high-flying MP for Totten-ham takes over the responsibilities of emergency care and public involvement from Hazel Blears, after only two years in Parliament. Blears has moved to become Minister for Public Health, replacing Yvette Cooper who has gone to the Lord Chancellor's Department. Previously the parliamentary private secretary to Estelle Morris - and the first black Briton to study a Masters in Law at the Harvard Law School in 1997 - David Lammy said that he was "pleased and excited" by his new role.
"Representing a constituency like Tottenham I know how vital the NHS is to the community. As I've visited local hospitals and spoken to NHS staff I know the challenges they face each day and how vital it is that the health service continues to improve."
