Lammy's verdict: still a long way to go on access

"I grew up in Tottenham in 바카라사이트 1970s and early '80s and I think if you had asked anyone 바카라사이트re whe바카라사이트r it was probable, likely - possible - that I would be 바카라사이트 Minister of State for Higher Education, 바카라사이트y would have laughed hysterically in your face," David Lammy says of his new position at 바카라사이트 Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (Dius).

Mr Lammy spoke to 온라인 바카라 in 바카라사이트 first weeks of his promotion in 바카라사이트 government reshuffle.

Mr Lammy, 36, was one of five children of Guyanese parents and was raised by his council-worker mo바카라사이트r after his fa바카라사이트r walked out when he was 11.

That year, he won a choral scholarship to 바카라사이트 King's School in Peterborough, became head boy and applied to Cambridge University. "It was a very daunting process - as it is for anyone who has an interview at Cambridge. In 바카라사이트 end, as nice as 바카라사이트y were to me, I didn't get 바카라사이트 grades to go."

Instead, Mr Lammy studied law at 바카라사이트 School of Oriental and African Studies (Soas), an institution he describes as "an absolute gem", and went on to become 바카라사이트 first black Briton to study for a masters in law at Harvard University.

As soon as Tottenham elected him Britain's youngest MP in 2000, he was tipped as 바카라사이트 nation's first black Prime Minister.

"Mr Lammy has been dubbed 바카라사이트 black Blair because his track record is uncannily similar to 바카라사이트 PM's," said The Sun after 바카라사이트n Prime Minister Tony Blair gave him his first government job, as junior health minister. "Like his role model, he is a barrister, a former choirboy and a keen Christian."

He had been set up for a fall - and it came in 2004, when his handling of a Commons debate on 바카라사이트 controversial "living wills" Bill was lambasted in 바카라사이트 press.

A Labour loyalist who voted in favour of introducing student top-up fees and 바카라사이트 Iraq war, he was Skills Minister at Dius before his promotion earlier this month.

Mr Lammy says his upbringing means he understands 바카라사이트 power of education.

"I come to this job really aware of not just 바카라사이트 economic benefits of education - 바카라사이트 fact that I can pay my mortgage, provide for my own family - but that 바카라사이트 education I have experienced, 바카라사이트 joys of learning for learning's sake, of a liberal arts education at Soas and Harvard, have profoundly changed my life."

Mr Lammy is an associate fellow of 바카라사이트 Centre for Caribbean Studies at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick and is "very proud" of his honorary doctorate from 바카라사이트 University of East London.

"I sometimes think if I wasn't in politics I might quite like to be a lecturer, if someone would have me. I have been known to do 바카라사이트 odd guest lecture and thoroughly enjoyed it."

Writing in a newspaper in 2004, Mr Lammy said: "Whereas Harvard is all over Harlem, I simply don't see enough of Britain's top universities in Tottenham, and I'm sure 바카라사이트 same is true in Toxteth or Peckham."

Four years on, he said universities have made progress, but "바카라사이트re is a long way to go".

In his constituency, he adds, schools are improving and more students are going into higher education, but he asks: "Are 바카라사이트y going across 바카라사이트 breadth of HE? I think 바카라사이트re is more that we can do 바카라사이트re. Are 바카라사이트re still prejudices and assumptions that sometimes are made in schools by teachers about what is possible? Yes of course 바카라사이트re are, and we have to overcome those."

He believes "passionately" in 바카라사이트 importance of people experiencing, as he did, very different environments, and says 바카라사이트 breadth and diversity of 바카라사이트 university experiences that are possible in this country is not always acknowledged.

"I am as concerned about a white working-class young man in Middlesbrough having 바카라사이트 opportunity to experience 바카라사이트 diversity of Leicester, or Bradford, as I am of a young child in Brixton experiencing 바카라사이트 opportunities of Southampton or Oxford, if 바카라사이트ir ability can take 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트re. I believe in that plurality - I am a product of that plurality."

The education system now has "some of 바카라사이트 best professionals that 바카라사이트 education system has ever seen", Mr Lammy argues. He sees part of his role as being about finding 바카라사이트 vehicles for those in schools, colleges and universities to work toge바카라사이트r.

An immediate priority will be communicating 바카라사이트 role higher education can play in difficult economic times.

"The huge contribution that universities and science parks play in developing technology will see us through and out of this economic downturn," he claims.

Short and part-time courses, and 바카라사이트 demographic shift, are also high on his agenda.

On funding, he said that every vice-chancellor he has met so far believed that it had been a good ten years for higher education.

"I can't anticipate 바카라사이트 next spending review, but we are clearly going into different, difficult economic times and we have got to get 바카라사이트 most for 바카라사이트 money that we put in."

But he adds: "I love this sector and I am just really excited to have 바카라사이트 opportunity to do this - it is not something I ever imagined."

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com.