King’s Speech

Baroness Hazarika Excerpts

Wednesday 17th July 2024 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Hazarika (Lab)]

My Lords, I beg to second my noble friend’s Motion for an humble Address in reply to His Majesty’s most gracious Speech. I begin by thanking my noble friends the Leader of the House and the Chief Whip for doing me the great honour of asking me to speak on this historic and most auspicious occasion. I congratulate them on their appointments. My noble friends Lady Smith and Lord Kennedy show all Labour Peers such kindness, patience and friendship. They are hard-working, decent people who take their responsibilities seriously, and I mean that literally.

My noble friend Lord Kennedy in particular is a very active Chief Whip, which will of course be much needed in the years ahead. When I joined this place, just a few weeks ago, he took me aside and warned me—in a pleasant but slightly menacing way—that I would receive more text messages from him than from anyone else in my life, and he was right. I have had so many messages that my phone has automatically saved him as my special emergency contact number. It is a lot. At times, it has gone a bit “Baby Reindeer”, to be honest. If you know, you know. However, his support is very much appreciated, and I wish them both well. They will do an excellent job for their party and for this House, which they care deeply about.

I pay tribute to my noble friend Lord Reid. As he said, we both hail from the same part of Scotland. We were born in Bellshill Maternity Hospital in North Lanarkshire. I do not know whether it was testament to what we went on to achieve, but it has now been destroyed as a building. He went to school in Coatbridge, where I grew up, at St Pat’s, a great school, alongside a very dear friend, my noble friend Lady Liddell of Coatdyke—what alumni. They had a historical first, as the first pair of state school kids to serve in a Cabinet together. Yes, it is very impressive. My noble friend Lord Reid put this to the then Prime Minister, Tony Blair. He said, “Look, we’re the first set of state kids from the same comprehensive to get into the Cabinet—what do you think about that?” Apparently, the former Prime Minister said, “That is good, but I think I’ve done a bit better than both of you”.

My father was the local family GP in Coatbridge back in the 1970s and 1980s. As I have said before in this House, it was not easy being an immigrant in Coatbridge at that time. There were not a lot of black or brown people—a lot of Orange folk, mind. We love a tanning booth in Coatbridge; what can I say? When my dad first started as a doctor, one of his patients said to him, “What are you?” “A Muslim”, he replied. “Aye, but what kind? A Rangers Muslim or a Celtic Muslim?” Given my noble friend’s great role as chairman of Celtic Football Club, I think I know what the answer should have been to that question. I did tell that story in my maiden speech but, like our great King, I am very much into recycling these days.

It is a real honour to follow my noble friend Lord Reid. I have really admired him throughout my career and also been slightly scared of him, as he is known as the hard man of Scottish politics—that is a compliment, by the way. I am a relatively new Member of this House. I made my maiden speech on the very last day of the last Parliament. It is so exciting to be here, speaking on the first day of this new Session. I gather that the role of being a seconder is given to someone on the up. I thought I had better get a move on, because I am now 48 years old and, with the rumoured retirement age of 80, I have only another 32 years left to make my mark.

This is a bit shallow, but I will be honest with you: as a woman of a certain age, I was feeling a wee bit depressed about my advancing years, but not any more. I have to say that I feel rather sprightly since coming here—I have never felt so good. I am normally a bit of a lefty, feminist battle-axe when it comes to any comments about my personal appearance, until a very lovely Lord from the other side took me aside recently and said: “I hope you don’t mind me saying this but it’s so nice to have a fine young thing like you in here”. To which I said: “Who, me? Stop it, stop it!”. My beauty advice to ladies of a certain age is that you honestly do not need to get Botox—you just need a peerage.

There are many people of many ages here, including many who are younger than me, and they have been so kind to me, and it is really appreciated. Many of us recognise that this place does need reform, but, in the meantime, the voices of people from all backgrounds and all ages should be heard in this very special place.

This takes me to the King’s Speech. We have a relatively new King and we have a very new Prime Minister. This is the first transfer of power to a Labour Administration since 1997—that is 27 years ago. Things were very different back then: there was no social media and there were no mobile phones— I do not know how the noble Lord, Lord Kennedy, would have survived, to be honest. The film “Titanic” was released back in 1997, which was the last time Leonardo DiCaprio was seen with a woman his own age—yes, it was a very long time ago.

As a wise man once said: “This is no time for soundbites, but I feel the hand of history on my shoulder”. This is a significant moment, because this is the legislative to-do list for this new Government. Our new Prime Minister has pledged to govern in service to this great country. This is a bold set of plans which is mission-led and based on prosperity, security, fairness and opportunity for all. It shows ambition, breadth and modernity. There are important measures to stimulate growth and to get Britain building again—houses, and vital transport and infrastructure. But here are a few other highlights which stand out to me.

I am most pleased to see the workers’ rights Bill. We cannot get growth if we do not have a motivated and productive workforce. Treating workers well is the right thing to do. Every single one of us in this House was shocked by the way P&O Ferries sacked its staff two years ago—that kind of behaviour should not be accepted in this day and age. Our trade unions do such important work, and I pay tribute to the many Members in this House who have dedicated their lives to better employment rights. At their best, trade unions are a strong friend at work, and if we are to get growth, there is a sweet spot where businesses, employers and trade unions work in a co-operative partnership.

As someone who, in a previous life, helped draft the Equality Act 2010, I was heartened to see plans for a draft race equalities Act, which will give people from black, Asian or other ethnic-minority backgrounds the right to equal pay in law. Just as sex-based pay discrimination has no place, nor should racial discrimination.

Violence against women and girls is at an epidemic level. In recent years in the UK, a woman has been killed by a man every three days on average. We are all in this House still in profound shock over the recent murders of Carol, Louise and Hannah Hunt; we send our condolences and love to John Hunt—a grief-stricken husband and father. The draft Bill and the mission to halve these brutal, devastating statistics is something we should all want to achieve for our daughters, granddaughters, nieces and sisters. We must all do better as a society.

Finally, I am glad to see devolution play such a prominent role. Just under two years ago, when our King acceded to the British Throne, I greatly admired the way he showed genuine affection and respect for our nations and regions by visiting them straight away—especially Scotland, which was his first stop. I was there, outside the Scottish Parliament, reporting. People were so enthusiastic and touched, not just by his presence but by the fact he was wearing a kilt. In fact, the woman next to me commented: “It’s no’ easy looking good in a kilt—and fair play, he’s got a cracking set of pins”. Our new Prime Minister made a similar trip across these great isles, but, thankfully, very much in trousers. I am pleased to see the creation of a council of nations and regions which will bring together our First Ministers and regional mayors and their collective wisdom. I am also pleased to see that GB Energy will be headquartered in Scotland.

I could not let the occasion pass without remarking on the fact that my side had a very good night in Scotland, after many years in the wilderness. At one point, there were more pandas in Edinburgh Zoo than Labour MPs in Scotland. There was just one Scottish Labour MP for a long time, and he is now the new Scottish Secretary. I asked him what the best thing was about going from one to 37, and he said: “I’ll tell you what—secret Santa’s going to be so much more fun this year”.

Having lost a fair few elections—actually, many—on this side, we know how painful it is to lose power. I say in good faith that I hope the opposite Benches learn the right lessons and regroup, because good governance needs good opposition. That is an important function of our democracy.

This is a big moment for all of us here today, as we start a new Session of Parliament under a new Labour Government. Yes, there is excitement, passion and anticipation, but there is also humility and a recognition that it has been a long, hard, tough spell in Opposition for 14 years. My noble and good friend Lord Reid cited the inspiring words about the opportunity to serve from the late great John Smith—perhaps the greatest Prime Minister we never had. John Smith also said this in his first ever speech as Labour leader in 1992:

“I say to the people of this country it is right that we are ambitious for ourselves and for our children. It is right that we should aspire for better lives and for a better Britain. But let the ambition and aspiration of our people be matched by the commitment and action of their Government”.


Those words seem so pertinent as we stand here today. We have been given the chance to serve by the British people. We now need to get to work and deliver for them.

It has been such a privilege to speak here today. I second my noble friend’s Motion for an Humble Address in reply to His Majesty’s most gracious Speech.

Motion to Adjourn

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