"...I imagine that a new PM tries to put their best people in the great offices of state."

...or the most useful. Lammy's been given his position not through any brilliance in his part but as a "Woke" " Uncle Tom" spokesman on the US model to take exactly the angle he took: to muddy the waters as a black apologist for what IS effectively colonial supremicism: it inhibits those Imperialism accusations whilst emphasising the attribute in the enemy.
-Unfortunately he's a bit thick and not very well read.

It's like Rachel Reeves as " first female Chancellor" Cheer her for her "Woke" achievement and "breaking glass ceilings" and all that, but she's just a bit thick too with absolutely no idea what she's doing.

-Both believe what they are told to believe which is why they are where they are and neither will achieve anything whatsoever as a consequence.