David Lammy: ‘I grew up in house full of flags’

Politicians and activists are “nothing” unless they have something to say about improving voters’ “sense of place”, David Lammy has warned.

The Deputy Prime Minister has described growing up in a house “full of royal memorabilia and flags”, and urged activists who consider themselves as being on the political centre-left to think about “owning that flag”.

Mr Lammy made his comments at the Global Progress Action summit in London on Friday, after the Government unveiled an up-to-£5 billion fund for high streets, parks and public spaces.

The Pride in Place programme is set to support 339 neighbourhoods, with money for amenities such as parks and leisure centres.

Senior Labour figures are also expected to unveil more detail about a tranche of “New Towns” during the party’s Liverpool conference, which begins at the weekend.

“In politics you’re nothing, really, unless you have an account for place and belonging, unless you are speaking to people and having something to say about how you improve their sense of place, however they define it, and they belong to a bigger project,” Mr Lammy said.

He said that the “country comes together with a huge sense of pride” during major events, such as the London 2012 Olympics.

“The house that I grew up in was a very West Indian house,” Mr Lammy continued.

“It was full of royal memorabilia and flags.

“My parents had a pride in the country.

“And I hold that up against the fascist National Front skinheads who had a different vision of the country, the fear that I would sometimes feel as a child at the confusion of whether I belonged in the country.

“And I think that when we talk about a kind of patriotic national identity, we’re talking about owning that flag, owning that space, not ceding it to others, and distinguishing between patriotism and an ethno-nationalism, recognising that there are traditions on the right in western democracies that are peddling an ethno-nationalism.

“And we must not vacate this space.

“And that starts with place-making and a powerful sense of belonging, and belonging to a project, and national identities are hugely important.”