Category: Parliament

Kevan Jones – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Kevan Jones, the Labour MP for North Durham, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

Like many, I had the great privilege of meeting the Queen as a member of the Privy Council, a Defence Minister and a Member of this House. I remember the first time I met her, not long after being first elected to the House in 2001. A number of us were invited to meet Her Majesty, and you can imagine that we were all very nervous and apprehensive about the visit. But as many colleagues have said in these tributes, once we met her, she made us feel at ease. She asked questions about our backgrounds and was interested in our constituencies. The other thing that struck me was her encyclopaedic knowledge of different parts of the United Kingdom.

Mention has already been made in these tributes of the Queen’s dedication to our armed forces. That was not simply because she was head of the armed forces, but because she had real devotion to them and an understanding of their role, as somebody who had served in them herself. I have to say that it went beyond that, however, and the best example I can give is the decision that was taken in 2009, when I was Veterans Minister, to award the Elizabeth Cross to the next of kin of those who had lost loved ones in the service of our country. I can attest to the fact that that decision was not popular among certain parts of the establishment, but it showed that the Queen recognised the important role that families have played, and continue to play, in supporting those we ask to serve as members of our armed forces.

For many of us, including many of my North Durham constituents, the Queen has been a constant presence in our lives in an increasingly changing world. She was dedicated to two important things: duty and service, which were the central tenets of her reign. In this cynical age, some may dismiss those values as old-fashioned and part of a bygone age, but I disagree. The cynics who aim to divide us need reminding of how the Queen led by example in saying that we are individuals with differences, but working together despite those differences makes us all stronger.

Yesterday we sat in this Chamber and listened to our new King’s address to the nation. Despite his grief and the huge responsibility that now rests on his shoulders, it is clear that the dedication to duty and service that the late Queen exemplified with such excellence will continue. God save the King.

September 10, 2022
Greg Clark – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Greg Clark, the Conservative MP for Tunbridge Wells, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

My constituents in the town of Royal Tunbridge Wells and the wider borough of Tunbridge Wells loved Her late Majesty. On behalf of us all, I express our gratitude for her life of service. In Royal Tunbridge Wells, we have a very special connection through Mr Harry Collins, who for 22 years has been the personal jeweller to Her late Majesty, responsible for the care of her jewels and for designing and making some of the new pieces that have been so admired around the world during that time. I had coffee with Mr Collins this morning. His devotion to Her late Majesty is absolute and he is much too discreet to break any confidences, but I did read that his appointment survived his having fallen flat on top of one of the Queen’s corgis when attempting to follow protocol by walking backwards during one of his early consultations.

Like many right hon. and hon. Members, one of the high points of my life was meeting Her late Majesty to be sworn in to the Privy Council for the first time, as I was in 2010. We heard yesterday and earlier today about some of the hazards of that occasion. So overwhelming is that moment that, I understand, men have suddenly been moved to curtsy in front of Her Majesty, and otherwise capable people have swayed on the footstool while trying to kneel on one knee, hold a Bible up in one hand and recite the Oath at the same time. Of course, the one person who did not mind was Her late Majesty herself, who put everyone at their ease.

One of the reasons that I will always be grateful to my right hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Boris Johnson) is that, in reappointing me to the Cabinet this summer, I was able to swear the Oath of Office to Her late Majesty in person on 8 July at Windsor Castle. When I shook Her late Majesty’s hand, I was greeted with the most dazzling 1,000-watt smile and sparkling eyes that suggested that she was absolutely thrilled to see me. I strongly suspect that Her late Majesty’s demeanour did not reflect the fulfilment of a three-year hope that the Prime Minister would restore me to office.

Instead, it showed that at the age of 96, on a hot summer’s afternoon, Her Majesty still recognised that, for everyone she met, it was a moment that they would treasure forever. In a second, it revealed her personal kindness and adherence to the highest of standards, right to the last.

Across the world, over 70 years, hundreds of thousands of people have been treated with such kindness and thoughtfulness by Her Majesty the Queen. Her life was one of constant, devoted and selfless service. We are blessed that she reigned over us. May she rest in peace, and God save the King.

September 10, 2022
Naz Shah – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Naz Shah, the Labour MP for Bradford West, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

So many of us are trying to find the words to describe the reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. Many have eloquently, philosophically, emotionally and even poetically alluded to her legacy and reign. Despite all the great words that have been and will be said, we all fall short, not because of the lack of words or of heartfelt emotion on this momentous occasion, but because even our greatest words fall short when it comes to doing justice to the life, legacy and reign of an extraordinary monarch.

We look around the world and we realise that these are sombre moments not just for the people of Britain or the Commonwealth, but for the entire world. Indeed, the elegant words of President Macron of France,

“ To you, she was your Queen. To us, she was the Queen.”

highlight how she was a worldly figure who existed beyond the nations and realm, in the hearts of people across the world. She was a unifying monarch, who brought people together in a way that was unique to her. That is why, when we look across our nation at the sadness and grief that people and communities are feeling, we see that people of all races, of all religions and of all communities are united in the devotion and heartfelt emotion they are showing at the passing of their Queen.

This unified attachment to Her Majesty did not just appear out of nowhere, but was directly a symbol she expressed throughout her reign. In 1952, in her first Christmas broadcast, at a time when inclusion and diversity were very much unseen in society, she addressed the nations and asked that people, whatever their religion, pray for her and her reign. We heard the same message of inclusivity and diversity from our new monarch, King Charles III.

In the same way, despite Her Majesty keeping her views close to her heart, her deep-felt connection to the Commonwealth and to justice was obvious. By summer 1986, the Queen’s apparent objection to the refusal by then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to place sanctions on apartheid South Africa was widely known. It is no wonder that her favourite African leader was Nelson Mandela, with whom she held a deep friendship until he sadly passed.

On a more local front, the Queen made several visits and was welcomed by the people of Bradford throughout her 70-year reign. Eighteen months after her coronation, on her nationwide tour, she visited Bradford, marking the city’s first royal visit since 1942. She visited Bradford Park Avenue during this trip and was sung to by 30,000 schoolchildren. On behalf of all my constituents, I hope I can express their thoughts, feelings and condolences to the royal family at this difficult time.

As one era comes to an end, we pray for the next. As a woman of faith, I admired Her Majesty as she was a person of deep faith and belief. I end with the words of a great Muslim poet, Rumi:

“You are not a drop in the ocean; you are an entire ocean in a drop”.

Her Majesty was an ocean in her kindness, selflessness and humour, and she made herself a drop through her humbleness, sense of duty and service to her people. God save our King.

September 10, 2022
Damian Green – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Damian Green, the Conservative MP for Ashford, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

Like many others, I suspect, my initial reaction on hearing of the Queen’s death was not just sadness and regret, but a peculiar sense of uncertainty. How could the world continue without this magnificent woman playing a central role in the background of all our lives? Also like many others, I was privileged and lucky enough to meet the Queen a number of times and can add to the testimonies of many other Members about her warmth, kindness, vast depth of knowledge, razor-sharp mind and fabulously dry sense of humour. My best evidence of the latter was one of those Privy Council meetings that takes place when a new member is appointed—I am happy to report to my right hon. Friend the Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Grant Shapps) that it was not his—and involves a lot of kneeling, moving, kneeling again, holding a Bible, kissing and talking. Politicians are good at words, but many of them are not very good at choreography and I vividly remember one occasion when somebody got it badly wrong. There was chaos. My right hon. Friend was nothing on that. As hon. Members can imagine, it provoked silent but extreme hilarity and glee among all the close friends of the poor wretch who had got it so badly wrong. I looked across and the Queen’s face was completely impassive, but the look in her eyes told me that the person biting their tongue hardest in that room was Her Majesty.

One of the Queen’s greatest personal attributes was that, despite being royalty all her life and the monarch for 70 years, she did not have a trace of self-regarding pomposity. But her many personal attributes were not enough to make her a great leader—she had so much more than that to give. Particularly, she had a genius for necessary reform, for taking an ancient institution of huge importance and changing it little by little so that it stayed relevant in fast-moving times. She enabled the monarchy to remain ancient and modern. It is an extraordinary achievement.

Even in the last 48 hours, we have seen that the new King is proceeding along the same path, with the televising of the Accession Council and the unexpected walkabout at Buckingham Palace yesterday. Those tell us that King Charles will preserve the traditions of the monarchy while keeping it fit for the 21st century and beyond, so we can be assured that we will continue to have a people’s monarchy. There can be no greater tribute to the late Queen, and no better platform for the new King, than that we can say with great confidence, “God save the King”.

September 10, 2022
Stephen Timms – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Sir Stephen Timms, the Labour MP for East Ham, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

Like other Members, my main memories of Her late Majesty the Queen are of visits to my constituency. In 1987, I was chair of Newham Council’s planning committee, and I negotiated with Mowlem the terms of its planning permission for London City airport. I attended the opening by Her Majesty in November 1987. It was pointed out that the terminal at the airport was on the site where her grandfather opened the King George V dock in 1921, 66 years before.

The airport was controversial locally. It turned out that most local residents, still smarting from the economic damage of the docks’ closure 10 years earlier, welcomed the jobs it was bringing, but some were very unhappy, understandably, about living with the noise of the planes. On the day of the airport opening, there was a small demonstration. The airport management, rightly wanting to avoid unnecessary ill feeling, invited half a dozen demonstrators inside and gave them a chance to meet the Queen and set out their case. When it came to their turn, the residents explained their fears about aircraft noise. The Queen listened carefully to what they had to say and replied, “I know exactly what you mean. You should hear the noise at Windsor castle of the jets coming in to land at Heathrow.”

The Prime Minister said yesterday that Her late Majesty had a unique ability to transcend difference and heal division. That is what she did on that occasion. Her off-the-cuff response transformed the situation. Arriving as disgruntled outsiders, the residents had been transformed into insiders who had shared a moment of recognition and warmth with their head of state. The rancour between the objectors and the airport was, I think, permanently eased.

The day after the opening ceremony for London 2012, which was a Saturday, when we might have thought that after the night before the then 86-year-old monarch would have been entitled to a day off, the Queen returned to London City airport to mark its 25th anniversary. Other memorable visits included, in her Golden Jubilee tour, a visit to Green Street, the most successful Asian shopping street in the country—we claim—where she was greeted by enthusiastic women in colourful saris waving Union Jacks, creating wonderful photographs in the Daily Mail the next day.

We always remember the Queen opening what we now call Newham University Hospital in December 1983. Her reign was seven decades: those treasured memories will last for many decades more.

September 10, 2022
Andrew Mitchell – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Andrew Mitchell, the Conservative MP for Sutton Coldfield, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

For all the pomp and tradition, Her late Majesty’s true magic was in her humility. She did not need a gilded throne or royal regalia to touch people; it was in her smile, her poise, her natural charm: understated yet reassuring—the best of Britain.

Thank you, Mr Speaker, for allowing me to make this brief tribute on behalf of the royal town of Sutton Coldfield—a royal town now for 494 years and one that, at this sad time, is united with the rest of the country in shared sorrow. The Queen’s visit to the ninth world scout jamboree held in Sutton park in 1957 is still remembered by my older constituents, as she came to join in the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of scouting and had lunch in our magnificent town hall.

I have never visited a primary school where one of the first questions has not been, “Have you met the Queen?” I had the privilege and good fortune to meet the Queen when I was her International Development Secretary. Like millions around the world, I will never forget every second of those meetings. She was intensely interested in the less developed members of the Commonwealth. She was the reason that the Commonwealth not only survived but flourished and grew, reaching out to unexpected parts of the world, with Rwanda enthusiastically joining.

At the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting held in June this year in Rwanda, I watched the binding power of the monarchy, as the King, as he now is, spoke on behalf of Her late Majesty of the ideals and values that she inspired and to which so many nations now aspire. In Kigali, the capital of one of the Commonwealth’s youngest countries, the national flag and the flag of the East African Community are today flying at half-mast and will continue to do so until the Queen’s funeral.

I also remember travelling for many hours in Uganda to the hospital in Masaka run by the 80-year-old sister of the Medical Missionaries of Mary who had recently received an OBE from the Queen for her 50 years of service. In the hospital entrance hung a huge picture of the President of Uganda, Mr Museveni, alongside an equally huge one of Her Majesty the Head of the Commonwealth.

Tomorrow in the royal town of Sutton Coldfield, we will hold a service of remembrance in our town church, Holy Trinity, followed by a reading of today’s proclamation, and we will mourn the loss of our great Queen, who meant so much to us all.

September 10, 2022
Joanna Cherry – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Joanna Cherry, the SNP MP for Edinburgh South West, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

It is very humbling to follow so many great speeches. On my own behalf and on behalf of my Edinburgh South West constituents, I too rise to honour the memory of our late Queen. Much has been said of her dedication and her service, but I want to concentrate on her love of Scotland and the love of many Scots for her.

As the Queen died at Balmoral, and is to be taken first to the palace of Holyroodhouse and then to St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland will be the centre of the world’s attention over the next few days. That is breaking with tradition, but those were the Queen’s wishes, and Scotland is honoured by them. The last monarch to die in Scotland was James V, who died at Falkland in 1542. He was, of course, the father of Mary, Queen of Scots, and it was her son James VI who presided over the union of the Crowns. Mary, Queen of Scots is the ancestor of all the Stuarts and, indeed, all the Hanoverians who followed. Elizabeth Stuart, the daughter of James VI, married one of the German electors, and with the demise of the last Stuart monarch in 1714, Elizabeth’s grandson succeeded to the British throne. That is the Hanoverian line, and it can be traced directly back to Scotland’s Stuarts. Our late Queen was keenly aware of that—perhaps that is why she chose Stuart names for her first two children, Charles and Anne. And, of course, her mother was a Scot.

In 1953, after her coronation, the first place our late Queen visited was Edinburgh, and throughout her reign, she returned to Scotland for important events and, indeed, chose my country to be centre stage during state visits. In 1962, she chose Scotland for the state visit of the King of Norway; in 2010—very memorably for many people of my faith—she chose Holyrood for the state visit of Pope Benedict XVI; and, of course, she officially opened Scotland’s Parliament when it was reconvened in 1999.

Our late Queen embodied the union of the English and Scottish Crowns, which of course is quite different from the Union of the Parliaments and predates it by over 100 years. At a time of change, there are many in my country—particularly younger people—who might prefer a republic to a constitutional monarchy, but that did not in any way prevent the affection our late Queen held for Scotland from being returned in equal measure. Sadly, I never had the privilege of meeting Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen of Scots, but earlier this year I did have the privilege of meeting our new King. We spoke of Scotland, and I was left in no doubt that he shared his mother’s abiding love of my country.

As such, before I resume my seat, in honour of his late mother, I want to recite just a few words of Burns’ poetry that I believe may be a favourite of the King:

“Farewell to the mountains, high-cover’d with snow,

Farewell to the straths and green vallies below;

Farewell to the forests and wild-hanging woods,

Farewell to the torrents and loud-pouring floods.

My heart’s in the Highlands, my heart is not here,

My heart’s in the Highlands, a-chasing the deer;

Chasing the wild-deer, and following the roe,

My heart’s in the Highlands, wherever I go.”

May she rest in peace.

September 10, 2022
John Redwood – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by John Redwood, the Conservative MP for Wokingham, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

We meet together in mourning. Once again, our late Queen has united the nation, but this time, unfortunately, she has united us in grief and our common sense of loss. We here in Parliament suspend our differences, our party and our political views, because something so large has happened—that constant in our national life who has always been our Queen is no more.

All those of us here who are all privileged to have supporting roles in public life have learned a great deal from observing just how well the Queen carried out all her public service over the years. Everyone here has met her at invitation at Buckingham Palace, or at a national event in London, or, perhaps, hosted her in their constituency—some of us had the honour on many occasions to be with her and to see her. What always came across to all of us was just how much she respected every person and every institution that she visited. She showed that respect by impeccable manners and great courtesy—always on time, always properly briefed, always appropriately dressed for the occasion.

But, as so many have said from their personal experiences, there was something so much more than that. She was not just the consummate professional at those public events: there was the warm spirit, the personality, and above all the understanding that everyone else at that event was terrified that something was going to go wrong, that they had not understood the protocol, or that there was some magic way of doing it—as my right hon. Friend the Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Grant Shapps) was explaining—that they had to get right. At those public events, the Queen always relaxed people and showed them that there was no right way, because she was there for the people; she was there for the institution; she was there for the event. That is what we can learn from.

Of course, she was also Our Majesty. She was the embodiment of the sovereignty of people and Parliament; she represented us so well abroad and represented us at home, knowing that as a constitutional monarch, she represented us when we were united. She spoke for those times when we were gloriously happy and celebrating, or she spoke for those times when there was misery and gloom and she had to deal with our grief and point to the better tomorrow. That was why she held that sovereignty so well and for so long—a constitutional monarch who did not exercise the power, but captured the public mood; who managed to deal with fractious and difficult Parliaments and different political leaders, but who was above the politics, which meant that our constitution was safe in her hands. I wish her son, the new King, every success in following that great lead as he has told us he will do, and I can, with others, say today—“God save the King.”

September 10, 2022
Siobhain McDonagh – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Siobhain McDonagh, the Labour MP for Mitcham and Morden, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

I am sorry, Mr Speaker, I never expected to be called so early; I was so enjoying everybody’s contributions.

I rise to pay my respects on behalf of my constituents in Mitcham and Morden, who, like people in the rest of our country and Commonwealth, are united in mourning. So much has been said in this House and, indeed, from pubs to podiums around the world, and yet such is the magnitude of the moment that it still feels like there is so much left to say.

Queen Elizabeth was the historic figurehead of modern times, a leader—a female leader, may I say—incomparably devoted to her service and her people. As the longest-reigning monarch, she has been ever present, a constant figure of reassurance throughout all our lives. Perhaps that is why the grief feels so personal for so many.

Her Majesty’s leadership transcended generations. She navigated a century of societal changes, from her coronation in post-war Britain to every move of her reign televised globally and across social media. It was this insight that best shared her wonderful sense of humour, with treasured memories of Olympic ceremony skydives, and, more recently, of afternoon tea and teacup drumming with Paddington Bear. She truly was a leader for all ages—respected and admired by young and old. Other Members have spoken at length of her dedication and duty. It was this work ethic that I admired the most, with her service continuing quite literally until the end, as she welcomed her 15th and final Prime Minister just days before her death. What a remarkable drive she had. I suspect that there must have been many times through seven decades of service when a stiff upper lip was required, but, even in the darkest hours, she steadfastly believed that you just had to keep going—a quality of true leadership.

Her Majesty had an unrivalled ability to unite, even at times of deepest division. Perhaps that is why we trusted her. She was our great nation’s guide through good times and bad. As a country we looked to her for reassurance and, most recently, in the coronavirus lockdowns. When she said that we would meet again, we trusted the century of experience on which she was drawing.

Her platinum jubilee showed the love that our country had for her and sparked the togetherness, community and patriotism that she consistently inspired. She was so proud of her country and her Commonwealth and we were so proud of her, so we say thank you for 70 years of service, stewardship and extraordinary stoicism. May she rest in peace.

September 10, 2022
Grant Shapps – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Grant Shapps, the Conservative MP for Welwyn Hatfield, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

Like many in this House, I had the opportunity to meet and speak to the Queen on numerous occasions, but unfortunately the relationship did not start particularly auspiciously. I was invited to Buckingham Palace for what, as other Members will know, is an ancient, complex process of becoming a Privy Councillor. It was so complicated that I was called to a side room with five colleagues to have the process explained. We were told, “You will enter a large hall in Buckingham Palace, where Her Majesty will stand at one end. You will kneel on the red cushions, which go back some distance, on your right knees, holding a Bible in your right hand. You will switch that to your left hand, then take the Sovereign’s hand with your right hand and brush her hand, then stand and say, ‘Your Majesty.’”. I thought, “Brush her hand? Was that an instruction to brush her hand with my hand? With my sleeve? Or with a handkerchief?” As I was about to ask, we were called into the performance of the great ceremony itself. I thought, “No matter, I am fifth in the line to become a Privy Councillor, so I will watch my colleagues.”

My colleagues were all swearing on the New Testament, but as I am Jewish I was swearing on the Old Testament. I was at the back of the line and I thought that I would watch what was happening. Unfortunately, as we went into this large hallway, I found that it was so long that I could not see what was happening in the ceremony at the front. As I got closer, the field of view narrowed and the girth of my colleague in front of me widened, and I still could not see what brushing the hand actually entailed. With palpitations, I nervously knelt in front of Her Majesty the Queen, on the red cushion right before her. I switched the Bible, the Pentateuch, from my right to my left hand, and stretched out my right hand. She stretched out her bare, ungloved right hand and, to my surprise, moved it towards my face. It moved towards my lips. I pursed my lips. And it stuck! For what felt like an age she tried to pull it away and then, suddenly, “pop!”, her hand pulled away. I wanted the ground beneath me in Buckingham Palace to swallow me whole, but I remembered to stand up. “Your Majesty,” I quavered. She looked me right in the eyes with those wonderful sparkling eyes, as if both to acknowledge what had happened and also to forgive me in one turn. She said, “Ye…es!”. Mr Speaker, we never spoke of it again. God save the King.

September 10, 2022