Tag: Speeches

Suella Braverman – 2022 Speech to Conservative Party Conference

The speech made by Suella Braverman, the Home Secretary, in Birmingham on 4 October 2022.

It is such a privilege to be here.

Being Home Secretary is not just a tremendous honour…

…keeping the British people safe and securing our borders are the highest duties of state.

Our Prime Minister understands those duties.

And so do I. We stand for the law-abiding majority of Britons.

And in doing so, I draw on a long tradition of Conservative Home Secretaries who were willing to challenge failing orthodoxy. They refused to accept defeat.

Michael Howard, on his first day as Home Secretary, was told that there was nothing he could do about the inevitable rise in crime.

He disagreed – and crime fell dramatically.

They said that Theresa May couldn’t deport Abu Qatada, the Islamist extremist. But – despite setbacks along the way – she made it happen.

Priti Patel negotiated a ground-breaking deal with our partners in Rwanda to bring forward a new solution to the challenge of illegal migration – providing protection in Rwanda for those that need it while breaking the business model of people smugglers.

I am grateful to Priti and Boris for the foundations that they laid.

Serious violent crime has fallen, as has overall crime, excluding fraud and online theft.

And we are well on the way to 20,000 additional police officers.

But a Home Secretary can never be complacent – and some things still need fixing. I’m pleased to be working with a brilliant team of Ministers who I am so pleased to see with us today: Tom Tugendhat, Tom Pursglove, Jeremy Quin, Mims Davies and Lord Andrew Sharpe, supported by our excellent PPSes – Gareth Davies and Shaun Bailey, they all bring talent and expertise to the Home Office.

Now, the Prime Minister and I want to see homicide, serious violence, and neighbourhood crime fall by 20 per cent.

Some of our most committed and courageous people serve in the police. In Belfast last week, I joined police leaders to pay tribute to those officers who have died in action. Their ultimate sacrifice is one for which we owe a huge debt of gratitude.

So, yes I am immensely proud of our police.

Many on the left want to defund the police.

Well I say to the militants, I say to the anarchists and the extremists: I will always back our policemen and women.

That’s what being on the side of the law-abiding majority means.

But we also need to be frank when things go wrong. Some police officers have fallen devastatingly short of the standards expected.

We need to get back to common sense policing, empowering the Police to tackle the real issues facing the public – not policing pronouns on twitter or non-crime hate incidents.

That’s why I’m pleased that Greater Manchester Police, Hampshire, Bedfordshire, and Northamptonshire and the Metropolitan Police have all promised to visit the scene of every burglary.

But the law-abiding majority expect every force to investigate every neighbourhood crime – and so do I. Drugs, car theft, vandalism and anti-social behaviour cannot be ignored.

Perhaps the most unsettling, unspeakable crime of all is rape.

As an MP and as Attorney General, I have already seen first-hand how the system needs to improve. I can’t change things overnight, but I will not accept the status quo.

Policing is a public service, and must be accountable to you the public.

That’s why it’s right to publish league tables that show how well every force in England and Wales is doing in their fight against crime.

You all have a right to know. And greater transparency will drive up standards.

The modern world inevitably brings new challenges. Our National Security Bill will ensure that law enforcement and intelligence agencies have the tools they need to stay ahead of our country’s evermore sophisticated adversaries.

Yet everything starts from getting the basics right –

We need common sense policing. Unashamedly and unapologetically on the side of the law-abiding majority.

That means that the mob needs to be stopped.

The police must have all the powers that they need to stop protestors who use guerrilla tactics and bring chaos and misery to the law-abiding majority.

It’s not a human right to vandalise property. It’s not my ‘freedom of expression’ to protest violently. No – you can’t just start a riot or glue yourself to the roads and get away with it.

Yes, friends, as Attorney General, I had to go to court to get some of these simple truths established.

The judges agreed with me last week in the Cout of Appeal in the Colston Statue case. And that’s why our Public Order Bill will empower our police to stop this nuisance. So whether you’re Just Stop Oil, Insulate Britain or Extinction Rebellion – you cross a line when you break the law. That’s why we will keep putting you behind bars.

It’s very easy to say that the culture wars are a distraction.

But make no mistake, the Left are attacking our profound, elemental values, wanting to replace them with the poison of identity politics. And when poison seeps into the public sphere, it distracts our public servants from doing their real job. That philosophy dominates the Labour Party, whatever Sir Keir Starmer pretends.

And that’s why it is not only wrong for the police to take the knee. It is wrong for them to join in with political demonstrations; it is wrong for biologically male police officers to strip search female suspects.

And it is not just that pandering to identity politics is a huge waste of time.

They need to stick to catching the bad guys.

To those who dismiss political correctness as a conservative obsession, I say this. Visit Rochdale. Visit Telford. The grooming gangs scandal is a stain on this country and it’s what happens when political correctness becomes more important than criminal justice.

More PCs, less PC.

My other mission is to control our borders.

Firstly, legal migration.

I backed Brexit because I wanted Britain to have control over our migration and to cut overall numbers. Brexit was meant to give us a say on how we determine our own migration policy.

We should use our newfound control to deliver the kind of migration that grows our economy, for example that helps projects that have stalled or builds friendships and relationships with our allies.

But the truth is parts of our system aren’t delivering. We need to end the abuse of the rules and cut down on those numbers that aren’t meeting the needs of our economy.

And we mustn’t forget how to do things for ourselves. There is absolutely no reason why we can’t train up enough of our own HGV drivers, butchers, or fruit-pickers.

The way we will build a high-skilled and high-wage economy is by encouraging business to invest in capital and domestic labour. Not relying wholly on low-skilled foreign workers.

This isn’t just about policy or economics for me. It’s intensely personal. My parents came here in the 1960s from Kenya and Mauritius. They loved Britain from afar, as children of the Commonwealth. It was Britain that offered them security and opportunity as young adults.

I’m not embarrassed to say that I love Britain. No Conservative is.

It’s not racist for anyone, ethnic minority or otherwise, to want to control our borders.

It’s not bigoted to say that we have too many asylum seekers who are abusing the system.

It’s not xenophobic to say that mass and rapid migration places pressure on housing, public services and community relations.

I reject the Left’s argument that it is hypocritical for someone from an ethnic minority to tell these truths.

My parents came here through legal and controlled migration. They spoke the language, threw themselves into the community, they embraced British values. When they arrived, they signed up to be part of our shared project because the United Kingdom meant something distinct. Integration was part of the quid pro quo.

That didn’t mean abandoning their heritage, but it did mean adopting British identity. An identity of which we should all be proud. This is the best place on earth to come and live in, but I fear that we are losing sight of the core values and the culture that made it so. The unexamined drive towards multiculturalism as an end in itself combined with the corrosive aspects of identity politics has led us astray.

I saw this when I went to Leicester recently. A melting pot of cultures and a beacon of religious harmony. But even there, riots and civil disorder have taken place because of failures to integrate large numbers of newcomers. Such conflict has no place in the UK.

Or when we look at the Prevent scheme, we see how cultural tensions within communities are not being handled well. The murderer of our much missed dear friend Sir David Amess, had been referred to Prevent. But it couldn’t stop him.

We cannot as a people be cowed into fear by vocal minorities who attempt to undermine our common sense instincts. And as Home Secretary, I will make sure that Prevent is fit for purpose.

The law-abiding majority deserve nothing less.

And lastly we have got to stop the boats crossing the Channel. This has gone on for too long. But I have to be straight with you, there are no quick fixes.

The problem is chronic. Organised criminal gangs are selling a lie to thousands of people.

Many are drowning in the Channel.

Many are leaving a safe country like France and abusing our asylum system.

So what is our plan?

Firstly, our work with the French has prevented about half of all crossings. I know that alone will not work. So I will work closely with the French to get more out of our partnership. Both on the French coastline and further upstream against the organised criminal gangs.

Secondly, we need to find a way to make the Rwanda scheme work.

Thirdly, we need to do more to get asylum-seekers out of hotels – currently costing the British taxpayer £5 million per day.

And fourth, we cannot allow a foreign court to undermine the sovereignty of our borders.

A few months ago, the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg did just that,

By a closed process, with an unnamed judge and without any representation by the UK, a European court overrode our Supreme Court.

As a result, our first flight to Rwanda was grounded.

We need to take back control.

But friends, I need to be honest with you. The Strasbourg Court is not the only problem.

Now everyone agrees that we must fight the evil of modern slavery. I’m immensely proud of the UK’s global leadership in protecting genuine victims.

But the hard truth is that our modern slavery laws are being abused by people gaming the system. We’ve seen a 450% increase in modern slavery claims since 2014.

Today, the largest group of small boats migrants are from Albania – a safe country. Many of them claim to be trafficked as modern slaves. That’s despite them having paid thousands of pounds to come here, or having willingly taken a dangerous journey across the Channel.

The truth is that many of them are not modern slaves and their claims of being trafficked are lies.

And it’s not just illegal migrants.

Since entering the Home Office I have seen egregious examples of convicted paedophiles and rapists trying to game the system.

Making last minute claims of modern slavery to block their removal from our country.

Some have even gone on to commit further crimes in the interim.

In one case, we convicted a sex offender from South Africa who spent a year in prison.

He was about to be deported from the UK – and lo and behold, he made a claim of modern slavery.

Our removal was stalled – and in this time he went on to commit a further rape.

He is now back behind bars – but when he’s released, well – it’s all so terribly predictable.

In another case, a paedophile from Pakistan received 10 years in prison.

But at the end of his prison sentence, he put in a spurious claim to be a modern slave.

Even when they got through that process, he made a second claim – which blocked his removal.

We simply can’t go on like this.

We need to make sure that our system strikes the right balance. Our laws need to be resilient against abuse – while at the same time ensuring we help those in genuine need.

We have got a proud history of offering sanctuary to those in need.

From supporting thousands of BNOs fleeing persecution in Hong Kong; to welcoming nearly 20,000 Afghan nationals fleeing war and terror, to offering immediate refuge to thousands of Ukrainians fleeing Putin’s barbarism…

…The UK, and this Conservative Government has always been there to hold out the hand of hope to those who need it most.

But the law simply isn’t working.

It isn’t working in the interests of the British people or people who need our help the most.

Our laws are being abused.

Abused by people smugglers and criminals pedalling false promises.

Abused by people making multiple, meritless and last-minute claims.

Abused by tactics from specialist, small boat-chasing law firms.

This cannot continue.

So, Conference, I will commit to you today, that I will look to bring forward legislation to make it clear that the only route to the United Kingdom is through a safe and legal route.

And that’s so we can help support those who need our help the most, including women and girls.

If you deliberately enter the United Kingdom illegally from a safe country, you should be swiftly returned to your home country or relocated to Rwanda that is where your asylum claim will be considered.

UK policy on illegal migration should not be derailed by abuse of our modern slavery laws, Labour’s Human Rights Act, or orders of the Strasbourg Court.

And we will always of course work within the bounds of international law, but we cannot allow this abuse of our system to continue.

And of course, at the same time, we need to continue to stamp out illegal working practices.

We already have some of the toughest penalties for those not playing by our rules, but we will redouble our efforts to go after them.

I need to be straight with you, Conference. This won’t be easy. I cannot promise a solution immediately. We’ve all heard pledges and promises but this is a complex and entrenched problem. And there are many forces working against us.

The Labour Party will try to stop this. The Lib Dems will go bananas. The Guardian will have a meltdown.

As for the lawyers. Don’t get me started on the lawyers.

And I’m a recovering lawyer.

But what can I pledge to you is my total and undeniable and unfettered and unconditional commitment to doing whatever it takes. Despite the obstacles, I won’t give up on you and I won’t give up on the British people.

The time for words is over. Now is the time for action. Time to put the will of the hard-working patriotic majority at the heart of all we do.

It’s time for the police to stop virtue-signalling and start catching robbers and burglars.

It’s time to tackle the small boats – no ifs, no buts.

Friends, it’s time for common sense.

I stand ready to serve you. I stand ready to deliver.

The time is ours, the time is now.

04/10/2022
Nick Gibb – 2012 Speech to the Voice Conference
The speech made by Nick Gibb, the then Education Minister, at the Voice Conference in Manchester on 26 May 2012.

Thank you for those kind words Philip.

Today’s teachers operate under great scrutiny, in conditions that require significant reserves of professional and intellectual skill.

On a day-to-day basis, they are expected to stretch gifted students and engage troubled teenagers; to inspire children discovering new subjects and to ensure that every pupil gets a firm grasp of the basics.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Voice members, both teachers and support staff, for all their hard work and professionalism.

And thank you to Voice itself for engaging with Government and putting forward the views of its members so effectively.

In particular, I’d like to mention Voice’s approach to reform of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme, and the industrial action earlier this year and last year. Voice negotiated just as strongly as the other teaching unions – but Voice members also did everything in their power to ensure that children did not miss out on their education.

Government objectives

This Government’s programme of education reform is driven by three overarching objectives:
- to close the attainment gap between children from richer and poorer backgrounds;
- to ensure that our education system is on a par with the best in the world; and
- to raise the professional status of teachers; trusting professionals and increasing autonomy.
At the heart of this programme is a move away from a top-down, prescriptive model of education – with lever arch files full of guidance and painstakingly specific schemes of work – to a system that enhances and increases the independence of teachers.

That’s why our White Paper setting out the Government’s education reform agenda was called The Importance of Teaching.

And that’s why our whole approach is built on an inherent trust in the professionalism of teachers – removing the barriers preventing teachers from doing what they came into the profession to do.

Importance of teaching

International research shows that teacher quality is the single most important factor in pupil progress. As a 2007 report from McKinsey stated, “the quality of an education system cannot exceed the quality of its teachers”.

Another McKinsey report, published last year, analysed Ofsted inspection reports and concluded:

For every 100 schools that have good leadership and management, 93 will have good standards of student achievement. For every 100 schools that do not have good leadership and management, only one will have good standards of achievement.

Studies in the United States have shown that a pupil taught for three consecutive years by a top 10 per cent performing teacher can make as much as two years more progress than a pupil taught for the same period by a teacher in the bottom 10 per cent of performance.

For poorer children, the transformative effect of a good education can be even more marked.

In June last year, PISA reported on how the education systems in different OECD countries helped children to overcome their social and economic background.

In Shanghai three-quarters of students from poor backgrounds achieved more in their education than expected. In Singapore, nearly half did.

In the UK, only a quarter of poor children managed to exceed expectations. Overall, this country ranked 39th out of 65 in terms of children’s ability to overcome their social and economic background..

Autonomy

I have long believed – perhaps because my mother was a very dedicated teacher herself – that education is the only route out of poverty. To this day, we know that there is no more effective means of helping people to get on in life.

Over the years politicians of all hues, determined to create a more level playing field, have brought in various well-meaning, heavy-handed interventions.

Yet the gap between children from the richest and poorest backgrounds has remained persistent, stubborn and entrenched.

Last year, 58 per cent of pupils achieved five or more GCSEs at A* to C including English and maths – but for children on free school meals, that figure was a disappointing 34 per cent.

Our most pressing priority in government is to support the profession in reducing the gap between richer and poorer pupils.

And I am acutely aware that overweening government intervention can be counter-productive.

Over and over again, international evidence shows that professional autonomy is an essential feature of every high performing state education system.

To quote from the OECD: “In countries where schools have greater autonomy over what is taught and how students are assessed, students tend to perform better.”

This does not, of course, mean that the Government should beat a full retreat: quite rightly, the public expects Government to take action where it identifies weakness.

And we do need to set a clear direction in areas like phonics, where the evidence of its effectiveness is so overwhelming.

Teachers already making a difference

But in schools all over the country, teachers are already using our reforms to make a real difference.

Over the last year we have seen an increase in the number of students taking maths and physics A levels, rising from 97,600 to 104,700.

The number of students studying foreign languages has risen dramatically: 51 per cent of state secondary schools now have a majority of their pupils taking a language in Year 10, up from 36 per cent in 2010.

And pupil absenteeism has fallen, with persistent absence dropping from 6.8 per cent last year to 6.1 per cent in 2012.

In my view this is one of the most significant statistics of the year.

Of those who miss between 10 per cent and 20 per cent of school, only 35 per cent manage to achieve five or more GCSEs at grade C or above including English and maths.

And more than one in ten children who qualify for free school meals are persistently absent from school, compared to less than one in 20 of those who do not.

These statistics show the great results which teachers are already achieving in schools. Today, I want to run through four key areas where we are working hard to give teachers even greater flexibility and freedom.

Curriculum

As many here will know, we are currently reforming the curriculum (with Voice’s help). We want to make it more stable and less cluttered; focused more tightly on the essential core of knowledge that every pupil should be taught.

The new curriculum will set out the fixed reference points that are absolutely essential to a child’s education: allowing children to navigate their way from discipline to discipline, and to think critically and independently.

As far as teachers are concerned, the great benefit of the new curriculum will be its permanence.

Many teachers have told me how frustrating and stressful it is to work in an environment of constant change – and I know that this sense of powerlessness and uncertainty has a major impact on workforce wellbeing.

Indeed, one of my greatest concerns about the QCDA’s 2007 reforms was that they actively promoted a state of perpetual revolution, encouraging constant change by contextualising concepts against current events – which then become obsolete almost immediately.

This will not be true for the new curriculum.

Core knowledge, by its very definition, does not need to be repeatedly revised to reflect changing fashions, or new current affairs.

Instead, the new curriculum will focus on the fundamentals that will give children today (and tomorrow) the best possible start to their future.

And I will count it as a success when teachers are able actually to laminate their lesson plans and recycle them from September to September.

Of course, a leaner curriculum will also allow teachers far greater professional flexibility over how and what to teach.

It will not specify how teachers should contextualise these concepts and subjects for their students. No longer will we create a whole host of hostages to fortune, doomed to become out-of-date before the ink is even dry on the page.

Rather, we will leave it to teachers to decide how to bring these subjects and topics to life.

Unleashing entrepreneurial spirit – Free and teaching schools

Autonomy also gives teachers the opportunity to lead educational reform.

In every area of the country, hundreds of outstanding schools have already been selected as Teaching Schools: leading peer- to-peer school improvement, delivering exemplary CPD, designating and brokering specialist leaders of education, carrying out valuable research and giving new and experienced teachers an opportunity to develop their professional skills throughout their careers.

We’re also giving schools a stronger influence over the content of initial teacher training as well as the recruitment and selection of trainees, and continuing to ensure that ITT provision focuses on the quality of placements and selection.

And, of course, perhaps the most potent symbol of teachers’ entrepreneurial spirit can be found in the very visible expansion of the academy and free school programmes.

As we move into summer, over half (51%) of all secondary schools are now open or in the process of opening as academies, teaching over one and a quarter million children.

There now are 1776 academies, of which over 1400 have opened since May 2010.

The Free School programme is up and running in tandem and I am particularly keen to see teachers with entrepreneurial spirit and flair exploring its potential.

Some of the most exciting free schools, like Bradford Science Academy, Canary Wharf College and Woodpecker Hall Primary Academy, are led by teachers – and these schools are going from strength to strength. Woodpecker has already applied to open another Free School in 2013, while the Confederation of British Teachers (which opened a free school in 2011) will open two more schools this September.

It has always surprised me, having come from an accountancy background myself, that teachers haven’t been given the opportunity to establish practices in the same way as doctors, lawyers or accountants.

We have now put a mechanism in place by which teachers can lead reform and I am delighted to see so many already taking advantage of it.

Reducing bureaucracy

As teachers step forward, using their knowledge and expertise to drive improvements, Government must step back.

This brings me on to the third area I wanted to mention today: the reduction of red tape and paperwork.

Two years ago, teachers in all types of schools told us that one of the biggest drains on their time was the burden of government bureaucracy, consuming far too much energy and time and sapping morale.

That’s why the Department has removed 75 per cent of centrally-issued guidance over the last two years – some 20,000 pages.

Behaviour and bullying guidance has been slimmed from 600 pages to 50; admissions guidance down from 160 pages to 50; health and safety guidance from 150 pages to just six.

On top of this, we have scrapped the requirements on schools to set annual absence and performance targets; to consult on changes to the school day; and to publish school profiles.

And we have removed a host of non-statutory requirements like the self evaluation form, replaced the bureaucratic financial management standard, stopped 10 data collections and clarified that neither the Department, nor Ofsted, require written lesson plans to be in place for every lesson.

From September, we will be introducing further measures to remove or reduce some of the bureaucracy around teacher standards, admissions and school governance.

I hope that these important modifications will go a long way to reducing those bureaucratic pressures on teachers that were highlighted as a major concern in the NFER report.

Behaviour

If we are to retain and attract the calibre of teaching talent that we need, then there is one issue in particular that I am keen to address.

Some 52 per cent of teachers state that they have considered leaving the profession because of poor behaviour. 59 per cent believe that the standard of pupil behaviour has got worse during their careers.

The OECD has estimated that 30 per cent of effective teaching time in schools is lost because of poor pupil behaviour.

What is clear, I’m afraid, is that increasing numbers of children have not been set proper boundaries at home. They turn up at school aggressive, disruptive and unwilling to work; they disturb lessons for their peers, and make their teachers’ lives more difficult.

I cannot over-emphasise the importance of the work that Philip and Voice are doing to equip teachers to handle this behaviour.

And I am grateful for the opportunity to restate, in the strongest possible terms, my support for the profession in dealing with unruly pupils. No teacher, nursery worker or member of support staff should have to put up with aggressive, confrontational or abusive behaviour from the children in their care.

Over the last two years, we have introduced a series of measures to support heads and teachers in managing poor behaviour; and I expect headteachers, in turn, to support their staff.

Since the start of last month, schools have had increased search powers for items which they believe will lead to poor behaviour or disruption. We have clarified head teachers’ authority to discipline pupils for misbehaviour beyond the school gates, including bullying outside school. And we have given teachers the ability to issue no notice detentions after school.

The new, simplified Ofsted inspection framework focuses on just four key areas of inspection – one of which is behaviour and safety.

And in light of research showing that nearly half of serious allegations against school teachers are unsubstantiated, malicious or unfounded, we’ve given teachers faced with an accusation, a legal right to anonymity, until the point when or if they are charged with an offence.

Finally, we have revised guidance to local authorities and schools to speed up the investigation process when a teacher or a member of staff is the subject of an allegation by a pupil.

Conclusion

I hope members of Voice will welcome our reforms to give teachers greater autonomy, flexibility and freedom.

I also hope that members will take this as a sign of the exceptionally high regard in which government holds the teaching profession.

My final words go to Philip, who has been such a great representative for Voice over these last six years, and for the profession as a whole; for the children he taught, and for the teachers he led, whilst deputy head at Old Clee Junior School.

Philip, I know that you will be very sorely missed. It has been a great personal pleasure to work with you and I wish you all the best in your retirement.

You campaigned hard and articulately over the years about the dangers to the teaching profession of the over-zealous attentions of government.

And I hope you’ll agree that the move towards much greater professional autonomy for teachers is a worthy tribute to your work and campaigning during your distinguished tenure at Voice.

Thank you.
04/10/2022
Jean Coussins – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II (Baroness Coussins)

The tribute made by Jean Coussins, Baroness Coussins, in the House of Lords on 10 September 2022.

My Lords, both today and yesterday, many noble Lords have spoken about how Queen Elizabeth embodied the values and identity of our country. However, she also embodied an international mindset and global understanding, which focused, of course, on the Commonwealth to which she was so devoted but went much further still than that.

One example of this was Her Majesty’s understanding of the importance and significance of being able to communicate in languages other than English, which often reflected so positively on the reputation of Her Majesty and the admiration in which she was held, as well as on the reputation and role of the United Kingdom. In 2014, she addressed a French state banquet in French, a language in which she was fluent.

Perhaps the most unexpected yet hugely significant example came in 2011, when Her Majesty was the first British monarch to visit Ireland in 100 years. At the state dinner in Dublin Castle, she began her speech to her hosts in Irish Gaelic, astonishing the assembled audience, from President Mary McAleese down, into spontaneous applause. At the time, commentators and politicians remarked on the incredibly astute judgment and sensitivity shown by the Queen in this gesture; it was said to contribute enormously to the future of relationships all round.

Other noble Lords have referred to Her Majesty’s consummate skill in diplomacy and soft power. Her ability to use foreign languages so judiciously was a classic example of this, for which we should all be grateful and endeavour to emulate.

04/10/2022
Sarah Mullally – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II (Lord Bishop of London)

The tribute made by Sarah Mullally, the Lord Bishop of London, in the House of Lords on 10 September 2022.

My Lords, I share with this House, our country and many across the world the profound sadness at the death of the late Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. In June this year, we gathered at St Paul’s Cathedral for the national service to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee. In that service, words were read from the letter to the Philippians:

“Let your gentleness be known to everyone”.

The writer goes on to say that

“whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things … and the God of peace will be with you.”

We have heard from many that Her Majesty the Queen, in the 70 years of her reign, lived a life of integrity and service to others, but she also lived a life as a model of gentleness. In Her Majesty, we found someone who carried lightly her own importance, a genuine humility and gentleness, while fully knowing what her role in the Church and the state was. We have heard from my most reverend friend the Archbishop about how, as Bishops, we pay homage. As the Bishop of London, I paid it not virtually but in person. There, kneeling, with your hands enfolded by Her Majesty the Queen’s hands, you pray. My memory of that occasion was of gentleness: not of the power of state or of her role, but of gentleness. That is the image and feeling that remains with me. Having prayed with the Queen, I often reflected that there was no need for an oath of obedience.

Many of us simply have not known life without Her Majesty the Queen. She has been our nation’s unerring heartbeat. I give thanks that she is now with the God of all peace. My prayers are with the Royal Family and His Majesty King Charles. God save the King.

04/10/2022
James Cleverly – 2022 Speech to Conservative Party Conference

The speech made by James Cleverly, the Foreign Secretary, in Birmingham on 4 October 2022.

Thank you Conference.

It’s great be back together,

As a party.

As a family.

Big thank you to Jake Berry our chairman

Organising conference is a mammoth task.

And a big thank you our party staff, our volunteers,

And you, the members.

I loved being party chairman,

working with you all, with Ben my co-chairman,

And working alongside Boris.

And if I remember rightly we did alright.

an 80-seat majority –

A great team of new MPs from all over our great country –

And Boris’s leadership:

…Delivered Brexit…

…Got us through the Covid…

…And he led the world in support for Ukraine.

It’s a legacy that we should be proud of.

And I was proud to serve under him.

It’s a legacy that Liz Truss will build on.

I’ve seen her take bold action as Foreign Secretary:

…her steadfast support for Ukraine and standing up to Russia…

…her passionate defence of our Union…

…her determination to promote democracy and freedom around the world.

As Prime Minister she is also being bold.

…helping with energy bills…

…ensuring you can see your doctor promptly…

Reducing the taxes paid by ordinary, hardworking people across the country.

I backed her from the start:

And I know I made the right choice.

I’m the foreign secretary of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Wow, that still sounds strange!

It is an honour to be the face and voice of our country overseas.

I’m the UK’s sales guy.

I’m pretty good at sales, it was how I paid my bills.

But I know that the greatest salesperson that the UK ever had was her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth.

Our greatest diplomat

Our greatest advocate

Our greatest champion

Elizabeth the Great.

I’ve had the honour of meeting King Charles,

and I know he will work tirelessly and to continue her work…

and be our new chief ambassador.

During the funeral week of her late Majesty

I was reminded of the standing that our country has in the world.

When I travel on behalf of our country,

I am lucky enough to see the UK as others see us.

And I can tell you the view of here, from over there is really, really good.

It’s not a terribly fashionable thing…

To be proud of your country…

But I am –

So sue me!!!

My mother chose to make this country her home.

She was a young woman from Sierra Leone who adored this country then,

Just as I adore this country now.

In fact,

I am from immigrant stock on both sides of my family:

My mum came here from West Africa in 1966

And my dad’s family came here from Normandy in 1066.

There will always be people that talk our country down…

Belittle our achievements…

Underestimate our standing…

Those self-loathing keyboard warriors…

Who hate our country’s every success…

And pray for bad news.

Those people who aren’t happy until they’re unhappy:

They want to stand on the side-lines,

Never contributing,

Only moaning and bleating.

But that isn’t us;

That isn’t this party;

That isn’t this government;

That isn’t this country.

We aren’t commentators watching the match,

And saying “Ohhhhh I wouldn’t have done that”.

We are players on the pitch…

Making a difference…

Promoting our values…

Competing on the world stage for what we believe is right.

And we believe in freedom.

We believe in the rule of law.

We believe that an aggressor cannot invade its neighbour with impunity.

This is why we stand shoulder to shoulder with those brave Ukrainians defending their homeland.

And Britain has the strategic endurance to see this through to their victory.

Back in February this year, at the United Nations I said that if Putin was foolish enough to attempt to invade Ukraine,

The Ukrainians would defend their country ferociously.

And they have done just that.

Their bravery and passion has been amplified by the arms and training that we, the UK, have supplied.

We will support them until this war is won.

We will support them until their sovereignty is restored.

We will support them until the last Russian tank is dragged away by a Ukrainian tractor.

We need to have the strategic endurance to see this through to the end.

Because, if we don’t…

we send a message to every potential aggressor that our resolve is fragile.

We cannot, must not, will not send that message to the world.

And if you happen to be listening to this speech, Mr Putin, Mr Lavrov:

Let me be clear:

We will never recognise the annexation of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, or Crimea.

They are Ukraine.

And when Ukraine has won this war,

– And it will –

then we will support them as they rebuild their homes, their economy, and their society.

We will work with our friends and allies around the world to hold the perpetrators to account.

To punish those who use rape as a weapon of war;

To punish those who knowingly target civilian infrastructure;

To punish those who murder women and children

We do not do this alone.

We are a member of many international groups:

The commonwealth, NATO, UN Security Council, AUKAS, the G7, the G20.

We intend to build more alliances, friendships and partnerships around the globe.

It’s why we have ambassadors, high commissioners, and diplomats in hundreds of locations.

It’s why I and my fantastic team of ministers travel the world.

Trust me, it isn’t to stock up on those giant Toblerones.

When there is war, our work on the international stage is visible and obvious:

Building coalitions of condemnation at the UN for example,

Coordinating sanctions against those who facilitate the war,

Working to ensure the exports of food and fertiliser from the Black Sea ports.

But much of what the FCDO does is less visible,

But no less important

I have just returned from a series of meetings in East and South East Asia.

I paid my respects at the funeral of Japan’s former prime minister Shinzo Abe.

Then I went to the Republic of Korea;

And then to Singapore;

In each country I met with senior ministers;

met a number of international business people…

I set out the details of our Indo-Pacific tilt.

It’s a part of the world which is growing fast.

And through trade agreements, cooperation agreements, and our ASEAN dialogue partner status,

We are shrinking the distance between us.

I spoke about the opportunities that at available to us all.

And, of course, I spoke about the role that China plays in the region and globally.

I made our position clear:

That China could and should take a different path;

That it should adhere to the rules and norms of the international community;

And it should stop persecuting its people at home and stop sanctioning my friends and colleagues in parliament.

And while I was on the other side of the world,

FCDO ministers were in the USA, in European capitals, in Africa,

And a number of my ministers are overseas as I speak.

Because we have to invest in our international relationships.

Patient, but effective diplomacy:

We invest time,

We invest energy,

And yes, we invest money.

Because that’s how we generate influence on the world stage

And that’s how we drive improvements in the lives of people overseas,

And how we improve the lives of people here in the UK.

The development money that we spend,

Our overseas development assistance or “ODA”:

It helps women and children brutalised by conflict,

It helps prevent starvation,

We use our expertise in financial services through British Investment Partnerships to amplify the money that we provide to part-fund projects that generate green energy,

And increase trade…

And stimulate economic growth in some of the least developed countries.

We don’t just stand idly by and watch problems happen:

We step in to improve things,

Not passive, but active.

It is the right thing to do, it helps people that need our help.

And it also helps us at home.

Because safe, secure and prosperous countries don’t generate refugees or hundreds of thousands of economic migrants;

Safe, secure and prosperous countries don’t export terrorism;

Safe, secure and prosperous countries are good trade partners for us;

So obviously we want to see more safe, secure and prosperous countries.

That is the active role that our ODA plays.

But just because we look to build peace and prosperity in distant places,

we mustn’t forget the need to build prosperity closer to home.

A good diplomatic and economic relationship with the EU and its member states is good for us all:

we’ve worked closely on sanctions against Russians who have enabled the war in Ukraine.

I want to see more cooperation across the channel and across the Irish Sea,

And addressing the current problems with the Northern Ireland Protocol is key to that.

I want to ensure that we restore the integrity of the UK internal market,

I want to protect North/South trade,

and restore the balance of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement, which has been disrupted by the protocol.

I want to see all the communities in Northern Ireland represented again in the Stormont executive,

So that devolved government is re-established.

I will work hard to get that.

Last week I spoke to the EU’s lead negotiator Vice President Maroš Šefčovič.

We agreed on our desire to reach a solution that works for all parts of the UK, especially the people of Northern Ireland;

We have the Northern Ireland Protocol bill working its way through parliament.

In the meantime, we continue to pursue a negotiated settlement which respects the constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom and our single market,

and supports the institutions of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement.

As you can see my great ministers Vicky Ford, Jesse Norman, Leo Doherty, Zac Goldsmith, Tariq Ahmad, and Gillian Keegan and I have plenty to keep us busy.

But it is a job worth doing.

Promoting global Britain on the world stage

And I speak for the ministers and the civil servants and diplomats in the FCDO when I say:

It is an honour to represent the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland:

It is a great country

A country I am proud of

A country I love

Thank you.

04/10/2022
Fiona Shackleton – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II (Baroness Shackleton of Belgravia)

The tribute made by Fiona Sara Shackleton, Baroness Shackleton of Belgravia, in the House of Lords on 10 September 2022.

My Lords, having read and listened to the many and various tributes to our beloved Queen and her exemplary life and selfless service to this country, the Commonwealth and the realms, it is impossible to do her justice. I should like, with humility, to pay a small tribute to her private family life. As any working parent knows, striking the work/life balance is almost impossible, but despite performing the most demanding job in the whole world for seven decades as a working mother, a working grandmother and a working great-grandmother, she juggled until the day she died. I am in no doubt that her family and the line of succession was of paramount importance to her.

I should like to share three vignettes of her humanity. This is the first. My brothers, three years younger than me, attended the same gym class as Prince Andrew and, as a consequence, were invited to Buckingham Palace to his birthday parties. On returning home, my mother, cross-examining the boys, said, “What was Andrew’s mummy like?”, to which one of them responded, “Mummy, she was just like any other mummy”, and then, referring to her brooch, “but she wears a much bigger badge.”

Secondly, sitting next to one of her nephews at a dinner, he told me that during his parents’ separation and divorce, the Queen and her family had been like a port in a storm when life had been very difficult for them. This sentiment was echoed by many of her grandchildren, who, over the Jubilee, spoke movingly of her extreme kindness to them.

Thirdly and lastly, I had the privilege on two occasions to meet the Queen on my own, save for the presence of a private secretary. The meetings concerned family matters, and I was left in absolutely no doubt that she loved and cared passionately about all concerned. She was totally fair and non-judgmental, and did all in her power to ameliorate and solve the very difficult problems they were suffering from. She was loyal to her family to the end, and I can think of no better way of showing our immense gratitude to her than supporting her children, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren at this sad time and in future.

She passed the baton on, and for her, there was no question of changing any rules mid-term. To make sense of her sacrifices and her passing, and to reward her unstinting service to all of us, we can do no better than to wholeheartedly support our monarch, His Majesty King Charles III, and his family, as she would have wished and prayed for.

04/10/2022
Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2022 Speech to Conservative Party Conference

The speech made by Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the Secretary of State for International Trade, in Birmingham on 4 October 2022.

Conference, thank you.

It’s wonderful to be back here with so many of you in Birmingham this year.

Speaking to you today from the heart of the West Midlands – it serves as a powerful reminder that this region was the crucible from which much of the modern world was built.

As the Mayor, Andy Street, is tireless in saying as he promotes this wonderful region.

The infrastructure that powered that growth can still be seen today, and we are giving it a new 21st century boost.

Less than a mile away from here, I visited Curzon Street – one of the first train stations built in the UK. It has facilitated passengers and freight for over a hundred years.

Designed by Robert Stephenson – one of Newcastle’s finest exports, providing designs and inspiration for constructions around the world – it took 20,000 workers nearly five years to build.

Today, 27,000 workers have spades in the ground, with so many of them working to reopen and transform stations. These will serve at the heart of our newest high-speed railway delivering additional capacity for the network, drawing in huge investment into the region – and of course, helping the whole country and our economy to grow.

From land to sea, the UK also has a historic leadership in underwriting prosperity and trade.

Shipping continues to drive the global economy today, just as it has done for millennia.

Our seas are by far the most important arteries for global trade, carrying over 95% of all goods.

But while our maritime industry normally conducts its business beyond the public gaze, recent events have thrust global supply chains into the spotlight-and in particular, the importance of resilient and secure shipping routes.

At Transport, we are charged with ensuring the security of all networks that move goods, people and information around the world, and that underpin our way of life and our economy.

We have seen Putin weaponise food by trying to crush the economic and humanitarian criticality of Ukraine’s agricultural economy.

In blockading those Ukrainian ports, Putin has prevented the export of global grain supplies.
Our maxim is to ensure the UK is and remains the most secure and reliable nation to trade with globally.

Because at a time when Russian aggression is disrupting established trade routes,

it has never been more important for the international community to come together and protect global shipping.

So, we will work with all our partners to ensure maritime trade and travel continues to operate safely, securely and sustainably, right around the world.

Now Conference, there is an elephant in the room today.

We cannot ignore that nine out of ten train services were at a standstill last Saturday – with further strikes planned tomorrow and this coming Saturday.

While our priority, our overwhelming objective, is to grow our economy and tackle the rising cost of living, we also have to deal with rolling strike action.

Strikes disrupt everyday life for everyone and slow down our prospects for growth.

The more quickly we can resolve these disputes, the sooner all our efforts can be spent on getting our economy motoring at full speed.

Despite soaring international energy prices, the war in Ukraine and the continued global impact of COVID, we are taking the necessary action to help families and businesses.

We can only do this through growth and having the infrastructure that makes this possible.

We want to transform the rail industry to make it sustainable for the next 100 years.

The very last thing our country needs right now is more damaging industrial disputes.

My message to the trade union membership is simple: please take your seats at the negotiating table and let’s find a landing zone which we can all work with.

Punishing passengers and inflicting damage on our economy by striking is not the answer.

As a former Trade Secretary, I know something about making deals.

And I can tell you, there is a deal to be done between the unions and our train operators. It’s a deal that will require compromise. So I want to see positive proposals to bridge the differences.

As part of these, I am asking industry to launch consultations on reforming our ticket office provision across the country.

The way we buy everything from groceries to holidays has transformed over the last decade. Online shopping is increasingly the norm, and all our favourite retail stores are using the latest self-service tech, making the in-store experience quicker and smoother, with fewer queues and more convenience.

We’re seeing the same trend on the railways with a huge increase in online ticket sales – today, only 12% of transactions take place at ticket offices. We need to be looking at ways to move with the trend and support our customers in the most effective way possible.

There will be some stations where the ticket office will be important to the running of the station. In other areas rail employees may be better in front of the glass helping passengers in other ways.

This is not about cutting jobs – this is about putting the passenger at the heart of the Railway.

We all want the same outcome – to modernise the railway so that customers can choose rail as their preferred travel method with confidence and with ease.

I hope Union leaders together with employers will work with us to deliver the much-needed changes and resolution, so that together we can grow the economy for everyone.

Conference –

Just as coal power and steam propulsion powered a global revolution in growth and development – which transformed everything from medicines to transport and brought prosperity across the world – we are at the tipping point of another revolution that has the potential to transform.

The way that all our modes of transport are powered is changing at pace.

Hydrogen fuels. Net Zero Emission Vehicles. Sustainable Aviation Fuels. Green shipping corridors.

Those markets that change first, and have the potential to grow fastest, will go the furthest. We want UK Business to lead the way on this new clean growth revolution.

That’s why we are investing record amounts in our roads, in our railways and future green transport solutions, to provide the conditions that will make sure business can grow on the back of clean transport.

Building the vital connections that will open up access to jobs, education and housing across the whole of the United Kingdom.

This Government is unashamedly going for growth.

Growth is key to delivering jobs, higher wages and more money to invest in world class public services.

A key part of achieving that growth is keeping our promises and delivering for the people.

Speaking as the Member of Parliament who has campaigned for dualling the A1 – a road improvement first promised in 1992 – and was elected on that promise, delivering on our promises is firmly on my mind.

The A1 is just one example.

The A303 is another. One of the main gateways to the South West, it acts as a bottleneck to growth. So we are committed to getting these road solutions delivered.

Delivery is the key.

Something my fantastic ministerial team are focussed on.

Kevin Foster – is taking on the challenge of modernising our Railway.

Katherine Fletcher – will deliver the Roads the Prime Minister has asked me to accelerate, which the Chancellor announced in his Growth Plan.

Baroness Vere – will work to decarbonise the aviation industry.

Lucy Frazer who will be working on the Future of Transport, making it fit for a modern world.

And our Parliamentary Private Secretaries Marco Longhi, Anthony Browne, and Damian Moore in the Whips Office are going to help us stay on track.

As a rural constituency MP, one of the most common issues that gets raised with me is the state of my local roads. Indeed – I became very popular overnight with many colleagues who have constituents raising similar issues with them.

That’s why we have set aside a pothole fund to repair 10 million potholes a year.

So motorway or local street, this is a government which will invest so that our country can grow. We are a team that is determined to get spades into the ground at pace.

Conference, we’ve got a lot to do – it’s time to Get Britain Moving.

Thank you.

04/10/2022
Therese Coffey – 2022 Speech to Conservative Party Conference

The speech made by Therese Coffey, the Deputy Prime Minister and Health & Social Care Secretary, in Birmingham on 4 October 2022.

Conference, I am delighted to be here in Birmingham for my first speech as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and as Deputy Prime Minister.

I was here just a couple of months ago for the Commonwealth Games,

And I was absolutely blown away,

by the Games themselves,

and also by how the city has been transformed since we were last here.

And that is thanks to Conservative Mayor, Andy Street.

Andy has shown,

That being ambitious for the people and communities he represents,

getting on with the job at hand,

and focusing on delivery,

is exactly what our voters want,

and why he was re-elected,

resoundingly.

Conference, as a Conservative government,

we believe in the Great British people,

and we are ambitious for our country.

Despite the severe challenges facing the global economy, in the wake of Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, and the aftershock of Covid,

Now is the time we must come together,

to tackle the issues that we have long faced.

And we will take decisive action

to get Britain moving again….

… from getting Britain building,

to channelling investment into local areas,

to helping families get on in life.

We will deliver, deliver, deliver…

Conference,

Our National Health Service has the admiration and gratitude of the British people, particularly for getting us through COVID.

The doctors, the nurses, the midwives, the paramedics, the chemists, the cleaners, and all the clinical and support staff,

As well as all the carers, working in care homes or our communities.

They regularly go the extra mile.

They are the pride of Britain.

The NHS is and always has been a national endeavour.

That was set out in 1944, when it was a Conservative politician, Sir Henry Willink, who put forward the proposals for “A National Health Service”.

That’s right, a Conservative MP,

from my home city of Liverpool,

who conceived the NHS,

– a good omen, I think!

And I continue to be proud of the many doctors, nurses, and dentists serving as Conservatives in Parliament,

far more than we see in the Labour Party.

And it is because of our Conservative Party’s commitment to the NHS,

…That we will be spending 173 billion pounds this year on health and social care, in England alone,

…up from 124 billion pounds when we entered office in 2010,

…and that’s accounting for inflation –

This has resulted in more doctors and nurses than ever before.

But, as Health Secretary, it’s my job to be honest, and level with you about the scale of challenge ahead of us.

And frankly,

I won’t be turning to Labour for solutions.

If you want to see the Labour Party running the NHS,

just look across the border into Wales,

where around 60,000 patients are still waiting for more than 2 years for treatment, higher than last year.

This isn’t the time for brickbats though.

It is precisely because healthcare matters so much

that we need to have honest discussion

and be prepared to hold the NHS to account

forging a partnership with them focused on delivery, not on dogma.

So, let’s be honest.

While most patients receiving care in our NHS have a good experience,

Too many do not…

…Whether it’s the 8am scramble to see a GP…

…Or the long waits to get tests or treatment…

Or the struggle to see an NHS dentist at all.

Much of this has been made worse by the pandemic.

And I must level with you,

Backlogs are expected to rise before they fall,

as more patients come forward for diagnosis and treatment.

But this isn’t just about Covid.

There is still too much variation in patient experience.

I saw that for myself this July when I went to A&E.

I waited nearly nine hours to see a doctor,

before being asked to return the next day for treatment.

Now I knew, from previous experience,

that would be too late,

so I took myself to a different hospital,

and was treated that same day.

That is the sort of variation we see across the NHS.

From two hospitals just a couple of miles apart, and it must change.

That is why my first job in the Department was creating Our Plan for Patients, which puts the needs of patients front and centre.
Our new Plan for Patients deliberately places an emphasis on primary care, the gateway to the NHS for most people.

It empowers doctors and nurses by reducing bureaucracy,

…which gets in the way of them doing their jobs.

And it seeks to improve performance across the country by unlocking data.

Now,

You may have heard ‘ABCD’ are my immediate priorities.

No, I wasn’t broadcasting my A Level results to the nation.

Nor was I reciting a new hip hop beat by Dr Dre.

Those four letters represent my commitment to focus – resolutely – on the issues that affect patients most:

Ambulances.

Backlogs.

Care.

Doctors and Dentists.

And with my excellent ministerial team,

Robert Jenrick,

Will Quince,

Neil O’Brien,

Nick Markham,

and our very own in-house ministerial medic, Dr Caroline Johnson,

Together, we WILL focus on the issues that affect patients most

To deliver their priorities.

AND be their champion.

Starting with ‘A’ for Ambulances.

Access to urgent treatment can be life-saving.

When people phone 999 because they think they or their loved one is having a heart attack or a stroke, they want to know help will come,

and will come soon.

Let’s be clear,

Average waiting times are too long,

So, we are increasing the number of 999 call handlers.

And we must also get ambulances back on the road from handovers at hospitals,

so we are placing a laser-like focus on our most challenged trusts, because as we saw last winter,

nearly half of all handover delays were at just 15 trusts.

We also know to be able to admit more patients,

we need to open up more space in hospitals.

So we are acting immediately to create more capacity,

the equivalent of 7,000 more beds, this winter.

But it’s not just capacity in our hospitals we need,

it’s also in our communities,

to help support people…

…who could be cared for more appropriately at home or in a care home, rather than being kept in hospital, unnecessarily.

That is why the ‘C’ for care is such an integral part of Our Plan.

And why we have invested a further 500 million pounds this winter,

so local councils and the local NHS,

can work together to tackle delayed discharges.

It isn’t all about emergency care though.

It is also about diagnosis and treatment.

And that is where we go back to ‘B’ for backlogs.

The waiting list for planned care, made worse by the pandemic, currently stands at about 7 million.

This includes people waiting for diagnosis, to know if they need any treatment at all.

While, in England, we have now virtually eliminated waits of over two years,

we are speeding up our plans to roll out community diagnostic centres, as well as new hospitals.

And we will maximise the use of the independent sector too, when patients are waiting too long for treatment.

Lastly, but key is ‘D’ – for doctors and for dentists.

Now, I think it is perfectly reasonable when people need to see a GP, they should expect to do so within a fortnight.

Of course, I would like to be more ambitious, and while I will not be prescriptive on how GPs interact with their patients,

I am clear Patients must be able to see their doctors promptly.

To help achieve these priorities,

I will publish a lot more information for patients,

so they can see how their local NHS is performing, including their GP practice, and on access to NHS care and treatment.

Another key element is personnel.

I have listened to why people say they are leaving the NHS,

or what is holding them back, from offering more services.

And I am responding.

I am empowering GPs to use their funding more flexibly for the recruitment of more support staff, and making significant changes to pension arrangements.

I am extending the emergency clinical register,

so that health professionals who have come out of retirement,

can continue to practise for a further two years.

I am opening up more prescription capability and services to pharmacists.

I am investing in IT for telephony and digital appointments.

And I am making it easier for clinicians registered outside England to be accredited, to get to work more quickly, treating patients.

It is, frankly, bonkers, that we have restrictions on the recognition of doctors, dentists, and nurses within the UK itself.

That is why I am laying regulations next week,

…which will allow the General Dental Council to get on with accrediting dentists to work right across our United Kingdom,

so we can have oases of oral care, rather than dental deserts.

This is all on top of our existing commitments,

to boost the health and care workforce,

including our manifesto pledge to recruit 50,000 more nurses by 2024.

Conference,

Whether you live in a city or a town,

in the countryside or on the coast,

this Conservative Government will always be on your side,

when you need care the most.

This is just the start of our ambitions for health and care.

Our Plan informs patients and empowers them to live healthier lives.

Because we know prevention is better than cure.

It is right we continue our longer-term health approach,

Strengthening mental wellbeing and resilience,

as well as the physical health of the nation,

because that is also good for the economic health of the nation.

We have a record number of people, in work, on the payroll, but there are many vacancies still to be filled.

We know work is good for you,

both physically and for mental wellbeing,

as well as putting more pounds in your pocket.

That is why I will strive to support

those not working now due to ill health,

to help them to start, stay, and succeed in work;

building on the Prime Minister’s pledge to have more mental health support in communities.

Because together, we can deliver a healthier, more productive society, all the stronger, to help grow our economy.

As the Prime Minister said on the steps of Downing Street,

she has three clear priorities:

growing the economy,

tackling energy security and costs for households and businesses;

and the NHS.

When I first went into the Department,

I asked what the biggest risk was this winter and what we could do to help?

I was told – help with energy bills,

so older people would not worry about the cost of turning on the heating,

and for health and care providers too.

The Prime Minister and the Chancellor listened.

They acted.

They have delivered.

And we need to act on growing the economy too.

We need a strong economy to have a strong NHS.

We need a resilient, sustainable economy,

to have a resilient, sustainable NHS.

And we need a compassionate, and considered, Conservative government,

to deliver, deliver, deliver.

And that, Conference,

is what we will do.

Thank you.

04/10/2022
George Robertson – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II (Lord Robertson of Port Ellen)

The tribute made by George Robertson, Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, in the House of Lords on 10 September 2022.

My Lords, ordinarily on such occasions the repetition of words and sentiments can be tedious and unproductive. Too often we hear, “Everything’s been said, but not yet by everyone”, or the House of Lords equivalent, which is, “Everything’s been said, but not yet by me.” However, in the last 48 hours the repetition of such words as duty, service, honour, decency, commitment and dedication does not jar at all; it seems both appropriate and fitting when they apply to the 70 year-long reign of the late Queen Elizabeth. She set a standard and a vector against which all who serve in public life can and indeed should be measured, and we should be profoundly grateful for that example, as well as for so many other things. Indeed, she was the gold standard—the glue that kept a fractious country together when multiple pressures of populism and extremism were tearing, but never destroying, our communal fabric. With our latest Prime Minister and the nation facing serious crises in energy, the cost of living, health and a foreign war, her example of cool, clear thinking is more necessary than ever it was.

As these two days of debate have shown, we all have memories of Her Majesty the Queen, especially those of us who had the opportunity to meet her. My latest one was of returning last year the insignia of the Chancellor of the Order of St Michael and St George by Zoom. I have to say that she was a lot more comfortable with the situation then I was. “Come forward”, she demanded, “I can’t see you”, as I nervously walked towards the screen at the end of the long room.

However, I have another vivid memory, of her visit in 1996 with the Princess Royal to Dunblane after the ghastly murders in the primary school. The noble Lord, Lord Forsyth, was the Scottish Secretary at the time and the local MP. I was his shadow and both a local resident and a parent. We were, at that time anyway, tough political adversaries, but we had been welded together by the tragedy in that small community. We witnessed that day the monarch, with just her presence and simple words, speak to and for a grieving town and indeed a shell-shocked nation. It helped immeasurably to bind some of the gaping wounds of that time, and that was her powerful effect.

Another, more pleasant memory I have is of when, as Defence Secretary, I brought the then Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Mohammed, to Balmoral to meet the Queen. After our lunch, he accepted an offer from her to see the estate but, boy, was he astounded, coming from a country which banned women from driving, to find the Queen behind the wheel of the Land Rover and rolling off without the rest of the party. I was at the castle entrance when they all came back. She looked at me and said, “I think he thought I was driving too fast.” I said nothing at all. Then she said, “I also think he thought I was lost.” I bravely said, “Well, you can’t get lost. You’re the Queen, and where you are is where you’re supposed to be.” She frowned at me and then said emphatically, “Quite right”, and marched away. Soon after that, the Crown Prince became King of Saudi Arabia, and belaboured every visiting Brit with stories of the Queen’s mad driving.

My final point is to talk about the Queen’s deep loyalty to the Commonwealth; my noble friend Lord Boateng also mentioned that. When she made that famous pledge to preserve and protect the Commonwealth at the point when she took the Throne, it was not some nominal pledge or promise, it was to her a sacred commitment. That passionate commitment to the unique and precious club of like-thinking nations that is the Commonwealth was to matter to her over all her years, especially those years when not a few irritated politicians would quite happily have strangled the organisation. Getting past the Queen, dispassionate and non-partisan as she might well have been, would have required a lot more tenacity and political force than is possessed by any mere politician yet to be born. The Commonwealth survives and thrives because of Her Majesty and her promise.

Last night, as so many have said, the new King spoke to the nation with raw personal feeling about the loss caused by the Queen’s death and what it meant to the Royal Family. It was a moving and incredibly significant address. The fact is, however, that we are all her family, and he spoke for us in our loss as well. He becomes King at a momentous time and we must, with memories of his mother fresh in our minds, wish him the very best in his demanding new role. The family that is his nation is with him.

04/10/2022
George Carey – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II (Lord Carey of Clifton)

The tribute made by George Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, in the House of Lords on 10 October 2022.

My Lords, I was not intending to contribute to the tributes today until last night, when I realised that we are weaving a tapestry that all our memories, recollections and stories can be part of and which other generations can read in years to come, learning from the mistakes as well as the lessons that our generation can contribute in the light of the Queen’s amazing reign. I was her fifth Archbishop of Canterbury. We have had 15 Prime Ministers, but we archbishops seem to endure a little longer than our political colleagues. Long may that endure. However, that means that if you are an archbishop or a bishop, you have very close relationships with the Royal Family.

I see it as like a hive in which there are lots of parts. Obviously there is Westminster, Sandringham, Windsor and the clergy, which together form a generous establishment. That generosity came out in the most reverend Primate the Archbishop’s speech yesterday when he referred to the umbrella. During the Queen’s time she gave access to that. She made us all feel very welcome. This is no longer the Church of England dominating. We have a Catholic presence in this country that is strong and vigorous, and we saw the impressive contribution that our present King Charles has made to Muslim-Christian secular dialogue.

In my decades I had no royal wedding, sadly, and I even missed two baptisms because I was abroad. However, I had more than my fair share of funerals, such as that of Princess Margaret, who became a very dear friend. I anointed her on her deathbed, and my wife Eileen, who is here, was with me on that occasion. I spent a lot of time with the Queen Mother and learned a lot from that very loving and distinguished lady, who died at the age of 101, and I was able and privileged to preach at her funeral service.

Princess Diana’s death moved me in a very sad way. I saw through her something of the value of a verse in Jeremiah 1 about the role of politics to destroy at times but then to build up. I have to say—I have discussed this with Her Majesty and members of the Royal Family—that I saw Her Majesty’s strong faith and fortitude as she resisted all the destructive power that could have destroyed the Royal Family but which did not because of her strength of character. However, I also saw something that is important for our own time as we now support King Charles III, which is to do with the fourth estate: the power of the press to destroy as well as to build up. I hope that we as part of Parliament can make our contribution to building up, strengthening and getting behind our King, as well as giving thanks to a remarkable woman, but also to say to the press today, “It’s your job also to join us in building up so that we can pass on the real lessons of what it is to be a land that is focused on building up the young and the strong today.” We give thanks to Her Majesty and we pray for King Charles III.

04/10/2022