UK Deputy PM David Lammy Mentions Kolkata Ancestry, Jokes About ‘India’s Son-In-Law’ Rishi Sunak

Last Updated:February 20, 2026, 08:27 IST

David Lammy spoke about his long-standing friendship with Rishi Sunak and their ability to work together despite political differences.

UK Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy highlighted his Indian roots and shared heritage with former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during a public conversation in New Delhi. Speaking at the British High Commission, David Lammy introduced Rishi Sunak by saying, “I know that former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is not just a great son of the United Kingdom, he is also a great son of India."

Rishi Sunak quickly interjected, “Son-in-law," prompting laughter from the audience. David Lammy echoed the correction, saying, “Son-in-law!"

David Lammy went on to underline his own personal connection to India, revealing that his family roots trace back to Kolkata.

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“I just want to establish my heritage too, because my great-grandmother on my mother’s side was from Calcutta," he said. He also spoke about his long-standing friendship with Rishi Sunak and their ability to work together despite political differences.

“Whilst we are on different sides of the political aisle, we can work together and have been friends for many years," David Lammy said.

He added that it had been “one of the great pleasures in recent years to join former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on our shared goal to do much better both in the United Kingdom and globally on prostate cancer, and it’s a pleasure to work with him on that cross-party issue."

AI And Global Cooperation In Focus

During the discussion, David Lammy also referred to Rishi Sunak’s decision to convene the first global AI Summit at Bletchley Park and asked about his motivation behind prioritising artificial intelligence.

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“You kicked off the first global summit in Bletchley Park. It’s an issue that you cared about then. Why did you decide that it was something that you were going to use your platform to signal to the world that this is important? And how do you think that story’s going?" David Lammy asked.

Earlier, addressing the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, Rishi Sunak described India as uniquely positioned to shape the global future of artificial intelligence.

“There is no better place to discuss this AI transformation than India," he said, pointing to the country’s digital public infrastructure and innovation ecosystem.

Rishi Sunak also praised India’s digital platforms such as Aadhaar and UPI, saying, “The India Stack has shown people how technology can benefit them in their everyday lives."

News india UK Deputy PM David Lammy Mentions Kolkata Ancestry, Jokes About ‘India’s Son-In-Law’ Rishi Sunak

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