Overview
- In coverage from Guido Fawkes and UK tabloids, David Lammy is reported to have named Bill Cosby as his second-favourite male role model after Nelson Mandela while filming an International Men's Day video for civil servants.
- Those outlets say the segment referencing Cosby was removed from the final video package before distribution.
- The Ministry of Justice declined to comment when asked about the reported remarks.
- A source described as close to Lammy told reporters the claim misrepresents his view, saying he considers Cosby’s crimes abhorrent and that any past admiration reflected how Cosby was seen in the 1980s.
- Reports summarizing Cosby’s background note decades of sexual-assault allegations, a 2018 conviction later overturned in Pennsylvania, and ongoing civil litigation in multiple jurisdictions.