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  • Darren Henry – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

    Darren Henry – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

    The tribute made by Darren Henry, the Conservative MP for Broxtowe, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

    I echo the sentiments of many right hon and hon. Members. It is always a special moment when all parties in the Chamber unite together and speak with one voice. Unifying those who were divided was just one of the countless qualities that made our Queen the ruler she was. My thoughts and those of my constituents in Broxtowe are with the royal family at this time. The Queen was loved and admired not only throughout Great Britain but across the Commonwealth. A sense of loss and mourning will be felt in all corners of the world.

    On a personal note, on more than one occasion in my life, I swore true allegiance to Her Majesty the Queen. The first was in 1987, at the age of 18, when I was joining the armed forces, and I did so more recently, in 2019, when being sworn in as a Member of this House. On those occasions, I felt incredibly proud to be able to serve my country and, most importantly, the Queen. I was honoured to be invited to meet Her late Majesty while serving in the Royal Air Force. She smiled and shook my hand. It was one of the privileges of my life and a memory that I will always hold dear. No matter who you were, her smile put you instantly at ease; the rarest and most wonderful quality for anyone to hold.

    As has been mentioned by right hon. and hon. Members, in 1947 the Queen stated:

    “I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.”

    She came to embody those words throughout her 70 years of service and displayed a sense of duty to the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth unlike any seen before. Over the last 70 years, at times of struggle and loss, we as a nation always looked to the Queen. She gave comfort in times of sorrow, continuity in times of uncertainty and hope in times of doubt. During the pandemic, when many of us were separated from our loved ones, she reminded our nation that “we will meet again.” She embodied the strength that we needed and inspired us all to carry on.

    I offer wishes of success and prosperity to our new King, Charles III. The country and the Commonwealth are behind you and with you. On behalf of myself and my constituents in Broxtowe, may the Queen rest in peace, and God save the King.

  • Robin Millar – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

    Robin Millar – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

    The tribute made by Robin Millar, the Conservative MP for Aberconwy, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

    It is my sad duty to convey on behalf of the constituents of Aberconwy our deepest condolences to His Majesty and the royal family, but it is a privilege to express our gratitude for the life of Her late Majesty. To King Charles, the new Prince and Princess of Wales, and their families, we offer every prayer and good wish in the important roles they will play in the days and years ahead.

    I will not restate the many tributes paid in this place to Her late Majesty—about her character, the impact of her service, and the affection that was felt for her in all parts of her realm. Aberconwy is no exception in that. She visited on many occasions, including the National Eisteddfod in 1963, on her silver jubilee tour and—notably for this engineer—to open the Conwy tunnel in 1991. It will be no surprise that her recent platinum jubilee was marked across Aberconwy with enthusiasm, with many events and street parties and with much good cheer. The sun shone and the rain fell, but, whether it was dog shows and damp bunting or coffee, cake and coronation chicken sandwiches, communities were united. They were open-armed in celebration and appreciation of her seven decades of service. Today, those communities are united in mourning, and it is books of condolence that are open across the constituency. Yesterday, as I drove to the station, in one village I saw that a simple bouquet of fresh flowers had been laid out. That quiet, personal gesture of grief has no doubt been repeated countless times and in countless ways across the land.

    I did not have the honour of welcoming Her late Majesty to Aberconwy. I do not have a story to share. Like so many, mine was the simple privilege of being her loyal subject; a beneficiary of her lifetime of public service. We had this in common, however: professing a Christian faith. When the Christian’s course is run, our fond hope and great expectation is to be welcomed by our heavenly father with the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” I cannot think of a higher tribute or a greater reward for Her late Majesty. May she rest in peace, and may God save the King.

  • Anna Firth – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

    Anna Firth – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

    The tribute made by Anna Firth, the Conservative MP for Southend West, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

    The city of Southend and Leigh-on-Sea also wish to pay tribute to Her Majesty the late Queen Elizabeth II—quite simply one of the most exceptional women the world has ever known. As one constituent put it to me, she was the best sequel we could ever have hoped for.

    Like many, I never had the opportunity to meet Her Majesty, but my father-in-law shared with me a lovely story. He was part of the battle management group for the first Gulf war and was hosting the Queen in High Wycombe, where they were in constant communication with the frontline. Walking down the desks, the Queen stopped to look over the shoulder of one of the operators to ask what he was doing, and she was amused to see written on the screen, “Sorry, Jim, got to go. Queen just arrived.” Just imagine his horror when the next message that appeared on his screen was, “ P… off. Pull the other one.” The Queen did not miss a beat. Chuckling away, she said, “Tell your friend Jim that I’m here and I wish him the very best of luck.” Does that not sum up the Queen for us? There she was with our troops—even though at a distance—in their hour of need, and she always saw the fun and always saw the best in everyone. She saw instantly that at the other end of the line was someone who nobody knew, but who was putting their life at risk for the rest of us, and her priority was to say thank you and wish him luck.

    As well as 15 Prime Ministers, 14 US Presidents and seven Popes, the Queen saw four Members of Parliament for Southend West. When she ascended the throne, Chips Channon was our local MP. He described her as “regal and quite perfect”. My predecessor, Sir David, was knighted by the Queen at Windsor castle. He described it as the best day of his life.

    In 1999, in carnival red, the Queen lit up our seafront, delighting thousands by walking the entire golden mile with Philip beside her. But, with characteristic interest in sound finances, she also insisted on visiting our local Customs and Excise office. Of course, earlier this year she granted Southend city status, for which we are eternally grateful.

    But it is the Queen’s values that I most want to give thanks for tonight, and they are perfectly summed up by the words she chose to speak at the end of her coronation day, in the penultimate devotional prayer. It is very short:

    “Lord…Thou hast filled my cup with thy goodness to overflowing. With a humble spirit and a thankful heart, I commit myself to thy care and will lay me down in peace and take my rest.”

    On behalf of everyone in Southend, I say, rest now, Your Majesty, in eternal peace. God save the King.

  • Robert Largan – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

    Robert Largan – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

    The tribute made by Robert Largan, the Conservative MP for High Peak, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

    When I was 20 years old, my grandma suddenly fell very seriously ill. She was undergoing emergency surgery and we all knew that the chances of survival were very slim. I vividly remember that long day, waiting for the bad news. On Thursday, as the country collectively held its breath, waiting for word from Balmoral, I found myself thinking of my grandma and that long day all those years ago. That is because, for many, many reasons, Her Majesty was a grandmother to the entire nation. She was a constant in all our lives—that familiar, smiling, reassuring and comforting presence.

    I never had an audience with the Queen; I do not have any moving or amusing anecdotes to share. Many other hon. Members who are far more eloquent than I have already set out at great length her many remarkable qualities, and I will not repeat them to the House. I will simply say that we are all diminished by her loss, yet her memory is our blessing. On behalf of the people of High Peak, I want to set on record our deep-felt gratitude and love for our late sovereign, to express our heartfelt condolences to His Majesty King Charles III and to affirm that we remain his most loyal subjects. May Her Majesty rest in peace and rise in glory. God save the King.

  • Matt Vickers – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

    Matt Vickers – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

    The tribute made by Matt Vickers, the Conservative MP for Stockton South, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

    It is an honour to rise on behalf of the people of Stockton South to offer our deepest condolences to the royal family and to pay tribute to our longest-serving and greatest monarch. Since 1952, our nation has changed beyond all recognition. The people of 1952 would recognise little of modern society, with the exception of one thing: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. For 70 years, our gracious sovereign lady has provided stability, continuity and a sense of reassurance to millions across this nation and to billions across the world.

    The Queen has a special place in the hearts of the people of Stockton. During the jubilee weekend, we saw communities come together with huge celebrations in my part of the world. Many shared their stories of the Queen’s visits to Stockton in 1956, 1977 and, most recently, 2012, when she opened our white water course.

    The Queen was a lady of small stature but huge personality and presence. She was someone every world leader wanted to be seen with, including 15 Prime Ministers, 14 Presidents of the United States and many other leaders. She saw them come and she saw them go. While they were able to step down, walk away and retire, Her Majesty never had such a luxury. The vow she made in 1947 to dedicate her whole life to service was as true then as it was at the end. Her Majesty showed that age is but a number.

    For me, the Queen was basically Britannia—a titan in her own right, a proud defender of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, and our true strength and stay. Not only did she see her nation engage in combat over the seven decades of her reign but she herself saw active service in world war two. That image of Her Majesty behind the wheel of a wagon in her uniform is one that can make us only proud—proud of her and proud to be British.

    Today, in every city, every town, every village and every street of our nation, we all mourn the loss of our Queen, our guiding light, our nation’s rock—the best of Britain. We must never forget the incredible example Her Majesty set. On behalf of the people of Stockton South, I offer her our thanks for her incredible life of service. God bless Her Majesty. May she rest in peace and rise in glory. God save the King.

  • Mark Fletcher – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

    Mark Fletcher – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

    The tribute made by Mark Fletcher, the Conservative MP for Bolsover, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

    It is with some humility that I speak today on behalf of people and communities across the Bolsover constituency. I place on record our thanks to Her late Majesty for all that she did for our nation, and our sincerest condolences to the royal family, who are very much in our thoughts and prayers.

    The words:

    “Grief is the price we pay for love”

    have been often quoted over the past two days and, boy, did we love her. We saw how much we loved her in the platinum jubilee celebrations earlier this year. That was the greatest weekend of my life; it was the greatest honour to tour the constituency. I grew up with a father who told me stories about playing with his band at the 1977 silver jubilee celebrations. Although his rockstar status has gone and he is now a financial adviser, those stories have stayed with me. I saw the unity that Her Majesty could bring. In a deeply cynical world, where we are encouraged to find differences with each other, that weekend managed to bring us together; perhaps it will be the final time the nation felt so together.

    Thursday was a day that few of us will forget, and we will all know where we were at that moment. Many of us gathered in Strangers downstairs. Members of all parties and House staff were there, and we waited with tremendous anticipation and sadness. We were all very emotional; even some of the journalists who were present seemed to have emotions. As the news was broadcast on the television, there were tears everywhere. The image that stays with me is of the Doorkeepers and their tear-stained eyes. Many of them represented our country and Her Majesty in our armed forces, and I saw the sadness reflected in them. I thank the House staff for all they have done to ensure we are able to sit today, and for everything that is going on at this moment. It is incredibly important to remember what they have done.

    That moment will live with us for the rest of time. It has been suggested that one or two hon. Members may have made similar points or repeated what has already been said, but if we were to see a word cloud of what has been spoken about today, perhaps the most important word would be “duty”. We in this House are public servants, and the first official thing we do is to swear an oath to the sovereign. We are servants of the people we represent in our constituency, but we pale in comparison with the duty that Her Majesty provided to this land. Her duty helped to unify us, to humble us, to remind us of greater times when things were difficult, and to encourage us. Her Majesty will never be replaced in our hearts, but in a way, she will live on forever. God save the King.

  • Robbie Moore – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

    Robbie Moore – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

    The tribute made by Robbie Moore, the Conservative MP for Keighley, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

    I rise to speak on behalf of each and every one of my constituents across Keighley and Ilkley to pay tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II—someone who we all had so much affection and love for, and who we admired with the rest of the nation. My constituents and I share our deepest sorrow with that of the nation, and we of course send our deepest sympathy to our new sovereign, King Charles, and the remainder of the royal family.

    Queen Elizabeth was a woman of great kindness and faith—an incredible inspiration to us all. Her dedication, devotion and commitment throughout her entire life—to public duty, to our great nation, and to the Commonwealth —was unparalleled. Her Majesty provided us all with great stability and reassurance, and she carried out her reign with enormous amounts of love coupled with incredible humility—love that was there for us all.

    The reality is that we have all grown up knowing nothing else but the Queen being there, at the very heart and soul of our nation. We welcomed her into our homes every Christmas, as we watched her give her annual Christmas address, and we looked to her for leadership and resilience through some of the darker moments in our nation’s history. We celebrated her, and with her, at national events. Only earlier this year, we all came together as a country to celebrate her marvellous 70-year platinum jubilee. Street parties were held across my constituency, as well as church services, and school children designed and drew posters of Her Majesty. The strength of feeling for her was huge. It is no wonder that we all felt that we knew the Queen and had a personal relationship with her; and that we had a personal understanding of what she was all about, and what she stood for—decency.

    I never met the Queen, but I will never forget, when I came to this place as a new Member of Parliament, leaving this Chamber for the state opening of Parliament and walking down to the other place. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I had goosebumps, because I could see a glimpse of Her Majesty sitting on the throne. That is a moment I will always cherish.

    The sense of loss has been strong, as we have seen in the presence of those standing outside Buckingham Palace. For decades, her Majesty has been a cool-headed, constant steward of our great nation; she has been our nation’s soul. I simply say, on behalf of each and every one of my constituents across Keighley and Ilkley, “Thank you for your service, your Majesty. May you rest in peace and rise in glory.” God save the King.

  • Antony Higginbotham – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

    Antony Higginbotham – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

    The tribute made by Antony Higginbotham, the Conservative MP for Burnley, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

    It is both a privilege and a sadness to speak today, to pay tribute to Her late Majesty the Queen—personally, on behalf of my family, and on behalf of my constituents in Burnley, Padiham and all the villages and parishes that make up our borough. Thursday was a day that we knew in our minds would come, but that we hoped in our hearts would not. The death of Her late Majesty the Queen was something that would happen one day, but never that day. On Thursday, that day came.

    We will all have our own thoughts, feelings, emotions and memories of the Queen. It did not matter if you had never met her or you had met her many times; you felt close to her. We all knew her personally. She was part of our lives, and we knew her because we knew her ideals, values and sense of duty, and most of all her irrevocable, unwavering devotion and love for our country, and for all of us, which was always reciprocated. Her incredible impact on our lives and country meant that often we were able to forget just how important she was to us. In the last few days, we have remembered.

    The realisation of just how much the Queen did to steer this great ship that is the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, and the impact that she had on each of us, is what causes our grief and sorrow now. Through her many addresses to our nation, she was our guiding light. She asked us to focus on what was important when we needed focusing, she brought us cheer when we needed cheering up, she gave us hope and wisdom when we felt down, and she encouraged us to reflect when life got too busy and we struggled to find perspective. For most of us, she was the only monarch we had ever known.

    During her reign, the Queen made three trips to my constituency. The first was in 1955, when she toured the nation as our new monarch. The second was in 1968, when she travelled through Padiham to visit St Peter’s Church in Burnley. The third and most recent was in 2012 for the diamond jubilee. On each occasion, everyone came out. The Civic Trust, in a caption for one photo taken during the 1968 visit, described how

    “a sea of faces and seemingly hundreds of waving Union Jacks greeted the Queen. The crowds were spilling on to the roadway, turning in Trafalgar Street and it was more than evident that Burnley was turning out in full force…there was only just sufficient road for the Royal motorcade to pass.”

    Such was our affection and admiration for her, both as Queen and as Duke of Lancaster.

    As we pledge ourselves and our unwavering loyalty to His Majesty the King, who we know will lead us just as ably, all that remains for me to say is: “Ma’am, thank you for all you did. May you rest in peace.” God save the King.

  • Shaun Bailey – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

    Shaun Bailey – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

    The tribute made by Shaun Bailey, the Conservative MP for West Bromwich West, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

    In forming my comments today, I thought it would be nigh on impossible to articulate what Her late Majesty the Queen meant to me and my constituents and to right hon. and hon. Members across the House, but as I have sat here today, it has been clear to me that her legacy has inspired us to be able to articulate exactly what she meant. For my constituents in the Black Country she was that continuity.

    Her late Majesty visited the three towns I represent at various times. She visited Oldbury in 1957 as part of the Black Country tour that my hon. Friend the Member for Dudley South (Mike Wood) referred to; she visited Wednesbury in 1962—there is the incredible image of Her late Majesty waving to the crowds from Wednesbury town hall as they came to greet her—and she visited Tipton in 1994 as part of her final tour of the Black Country, which included sights such as Dudley castle.

    For my constituents, Her late Majesty embodied continuity at a time of massive change. During that period, we saw slum clearances and we saw industries disappear, but new people were also welcomed into our community, and we saw our communities change for the better. We welcomed the diversity that the Black Country is so known for today, and we saw communities live side by side with one another. They embodied the example that she set, particularly with her work in the Commonwealth, in encouraging communities and peoples to come together to share the things that bind and unite us, and to live by that message.

    That was embodied nowhere more than in the platinum jubilee celebrations, when I had the pleasure of joining so many different communities and street parties, particularly in Tipton, where people may have seen their Member of Parliament engaged in some sort of dodgy dancing. I cannot remember exactly how it went, but none the less it embodied the passion of those communities—my communities—for what Her late Majesty meant.

    As we move forward out of this Elizabethan age into a new Carolean age, we need to ensure that the principles that Her late Majesty lived by are embodied further. As we look towards the reign of His Majesty the King, we look at the legacy that he, too, has—one of progress, protecting our environment, looking forward, focusing on technology, and bringing in new ways of working and new ways of viewing the world.

    I mourn the loss of the Elizabethan age, but within that sadness there is hope as we look forward. I know that my communities—the great communities of the Black Country, who looked towards Her late Majesty with that sense of continuity and pride—will embrace His Majesty. Thank you, Ma’am, for everything that you did for the communities that you were so admired by. God save the King.

  • Jacob Young – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

    Jacob Young – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

    The tribute made by Jacob Young, the Conservative MP for Redcar, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

    I rise with sadness to send my condolences and those of my constituents to His Majesty the King and the entire royal family. It is an honour to pay tribute to Her late Majesty the Queen today for all that she did for my community and the country.

    Over the last few days, I have read many memories from the people of Teesside about the times they met her on her visits, like at Tees dock in 1997 or Pallister Park in 1993; the charities that she championed, such as the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the Scouts and the Girl Guides; and the horses that she raced at Redcar racecourse, where she twice won the Zetland Gold Cup. I never had the honour of meeting Her late Majesty, but I have a wonderful portrait of her in my office that was given to me by my mam, from when she visited Middlesbrough on her first visit to Teesside as Queen. It is a photograph of her in a car driving towards the ICI Wilton site on a warm summer day in June 1956, where she was met by chemists and industrialists who were at the forefront of British innovation in chemical processing. At 3 pm that day, the royal standard flew over the Wilton site as Her late Majesty was shown a range of products, from moulding powders and synthetic fibres to Perspex glasses. More than 60 years later, on that very same site, I remember gathering around a TV at 3 pm on Christmas day as my shift paused work briefly to watch her Christmas message. Much had changed in those decades on Wilton—indeed, much had changed in Britain—but there was one constant: a sovereign who, over seven decades, demonstrated the values of duty and public service. She was a remarkable woman who was an amazing mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and, as we have heard from others, a trusted counsellor, guide and friend.

    The Queen’s Christianity formed the guiding principles of her life and the example that she set. In St Paul’s letter to the Galatians, he describes the “fruit of the Spirit” as

    “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control”.

    These are the words by which we knew our Queen. She was a monarch like no other, who gave everything for our country. As she said in her Christmas message in 1957:

    “I cannot lead you into battle, I do not give you laws or administer justice but I can do something else, I can give you my heart and my devotion to these old islands and to all the peoples of our brotherhood of nations.”

    That she did. She truly was Elizabeth the Great. God bless our late Queen. May she rest in peace. God save the King.