Diane Abbott delivered a speech as ‘Mother of the House’ after being re-elected a London MP despite Labour attempts to bar her from standing for the party at the election.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00The Mayor of the House, Diane Abbott.
00:05I would like to congratulate the Speaker-elect on his election and say this, he has been
00:16a Speaker through tumultuous times, but he has never failed to serve with grace and expertise
00:26and fairness.
00:28I would also like to congratulate the 304 new Members of Parliament who have entered
00:35Parliament after this election and say to them, it is a great job and you will never
00:43regret coming here.
00:45I would also like to congratulate the Officers of the House who have organised such a meticulous
00:54and careful induction.
00:57I remember when I was a new MP they just gave you a bunch of keys and told you to get on
01:04with it, so I have to congratulate the officers.
01:10I would also like to say that when I was a new Member in 1987 there were only 40 female
01:20Members of Parliament.
01:23Today we have 264, and some of us are glad that we have lived to see this.
01:35I cannot speak about the increased numbers of female Members of Parliament without referencing
01:45my predecessor, Baroness Harriet Holman, who did so much to work to have an equal and diverse
01:57House.
02:00We are going into very tumultuous times, and historically this House has played a role
02:14in these events, both nationally and internationally.
02:22I am sure it will be the same going forward, and we will be presided over in the excellent
02:31way of the Speaker-elect.