Labour MP David Lammy is stepping down from hosting his weekend show on LBC as the UK general election approaches.
Lammy will be replaced on Sundays between 10am and 12pm by Lewis Goodall, the former Newsnight policy editor who is now a regular host on The News Agents podcast from LBC’s owner Global.
LBC said Goodall would present a flagship politics show for the station, with news, interviews and analysis going up against Sunday morning politics programmes by the likes of the BBC, Sky News, GB News and Times Radio.
Goodall is moving from his current Friday evening slot on LBC to the “key” slot. He said: “2024 is a huge year in British politics and globally too. With an election looming here, in the US and more beyond, I couldn’t be more excited to launch a new flagship Sunday show on LBC.
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“We want it to be the go to destination to get your political news at the weekend and set the agenda for the week to come, with top interviews and analysis, on the ground reporting and some fun along the way. With so many elections to come, how could it be otherwise? I can’t wait.”
LBC senior managing editor Tom Cheal described Goodall as “one of the brightest and savviest journalists in British broadcasting” with “unmatched insight and analysis”.
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Why David Lammy is stepping down from LBC
Lammy has hosted on LBC, initially on Saturdays, since September 2020. He said: “It has been a total joy to present on LBC. But, as the election gets closer, it’s time this good thing comes to an end. I’ll miss the show, my LBC colleagues and most of all the chance to listen to so many callers from up and down the country.”
Appearing with breakfast presenter Nick Ferrari on Monday morning, Lammy also said: “I’ve enjoyed it hugely… everyone thinks it’s about talking and a significant, more than half the job’s about listening. And I’ve learned a lot about myself – I like listening to people up and down the country.”
Press Gazette analysis previously showed that between October 2021 and September 2022 he was the highest-earning MP from a regular media gig, netting £47,532.
Lammy’s departure comes days after broadcast regulator Ofcom put broadcasters “on notice” to maintain due impartiality in their use of politicians as presenters ahead of the upcoming election, for which a date has still not been set although it must be held by January.
Candidates in elections are forbidden from acting as news presenters, interviewers or presenters of any type of programme during the election period, meaning Lammy would have had to step down during that time at minimum.
The Ofcom statement opened the way for the likes of Nigel Farage to continue presenting on GB News unless he decides to stand himself, even though he is the honorary president of Reform UK which will have candidates in the election.
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