David Lammy Charms Castor: A Night of Banter, Brass Tacks, and Choirboy Flashbacks

You know the evening’s off to a good start when the Foreign Secretary’s talking cathedral choirs and Capitol Hill as if they’re two sides of the same hymn sheet.

On 18 July 2025, Castor welcomed David Lammy into Kyneburgha Church for a fundraising event that was equal parts insight and improv. Lammy took the mic in conversation with local broadcasting legend Paul Stainton—who dusted off his interviewing boots with the quip, “Nice to put the journalist hat on once again – it’s been a while!” Safe to say, it still fits.

Lammy began with tales from Kings School, where he went from playground scuffles to mastering the high notes in the cathedral choir. “You haven’t lived until you’ve hit a bum note in front of a bishop,” he joked, to a wave of chuckles.

Things got transatlantic as he reflected on his time in America—college experiences, political observations, and the occasional dodgy diner breakfast. He riffed on the difference between Westminster and Washington with the casual sharpness of someone who’s sparred in both arenas.

But it wasn’t all politics and punchlines. Lammy opened up about family life, sharing the kind of behind-the-scenes warmth that makes a cabinet minister feel more like your favourite uncle who forgets birthdays but never skips Sunday lunch.

The crowd was dialled in, laughing and nodding in all the right places. By the end of the night, funds were raised for Kyneburgha Church, and even a few eyebrows were raised at how refreshingly human politics can feel when it’s stripped of soundbites and party lines.

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In short? Castor got a masterclass in conversation—with one microphone, one minister, and one journalist who proved he still knows how to ask the good questions.

The full interview can be seen here.

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