▁in va de ▁Ira q ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁After ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁general ▁election ▁Lam my ▁was ▁appointed ▁Minister ▁for ▁Culture ▁at ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Culture , ▁Media ▁and ▁Sport . ▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁Lam my ▁was ▁appointed ▁as ▁a ▁Parliament ary ▁Under - Secret ary ▁of ▁State ▁in ▁the ▁Department ▁for ▁In nov ation , ▁Univers ities ▁and ▁Sk ills . ▁In ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁he ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁Minister ▁of ▁State ▁and ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁the ▁Priv y ▁Council . ▁In ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁until ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁when ▁Labour ▁lost ▁the ▁election , ▁he ▁became ▁Minister ▁for ▁High er ▁Education ▁in ▁the ▁new ▁Department ▁for ▁Business , ▁In nov ation ▁and ▁Sk ills . ▁ ▁O pp osition ▁back ben cher ▁ ▁After ▁Labour ▁lost ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁general ▁election ▁a ▁Labour ▁Party ▁leadership ▁contest ▁was ▁announced . ▁During ▁the ▁contest ▁Lam my ▁nominated ▁D iane ▁Abb ott , ▁saying ▁that ▁he ▁felt ▁it ▁was ▁important ▁to ▁have ▁a ▁diverse ▁field ▁of ▁candidates , ▁but ▁non eth eless ▁declared ▁his ▁support ▁for ▁David ▁Mil ib and . ▁After ▁the ▁election ▁of ▁Ed ▁Mil ib and , ▁Lam my ▁p led ged ▁his ▁full ▁support ▁but ▁turned ▁down ▁a ▁post ▁in ▁the ▁Sh adow ▁Cab inet , ▁as ser ting ▁a ▁need ▁to ▁speak ▁on ▁a ▁wide ▁range ▁of ▁issues ▁that ▁would ▁arise ▁in ▁his