Baroness Blake of Leeds
Main Page: Baroness Blake of Leeds (Labour - Life peer)Victory in Europe and Japan: 80th Anniversaries
Baroness Blake of Leeds Excerpts
Baroness in Waiting/Government Whip (Baroness Blake of Leeds) (Lab)
We will have a Cross-Bencher first.
Baroness Falkner of Margravine (CB)
My Lords, does the noble Baroness agree that it was ideology in the form of fascism that posed the danger then, and it is ideology in the form of neo-imperialism in both Russia and China that poses the danger to us now? I welcome the Statement but, while we rightly cover all the angles that noble Lords have mentioned, I hope that consideration will also be given to educating the overall public—not just younger people—about the threat we will face due to events in Indochina, and to celebrating the role of our allies there, as well as warning of what is to come through China’s ambitions in its neighbourhood.
Baroness in Waiting/Government Whip (Baroness Blake of Leeds) (Lab)
If we conduct our business appropriately, we will still have time for other Members to come in. We have not heard from the Liberal Democrats.
Lord Hussain (LD)
My Lords, I hope the Minister will agree that the role of the British colonies and the British Empire needs to be recognised. Our younger generation needs to be reminded of the role played by people from the British colonies, particularly the Indian subcontinent. I speak as somebody whose family member—my father’s elder brother—went to serve in the British Army. He left my father, aged 15, to look after the family and never came back. That is the kind of example from among those of us from those colonies who have settled in Britain. The new generation needs to be reminded of that.
Baroness in Waiting/Government Whip (Baroness Blake of Leeds) (Lab)
We will hear from the Cross Benches, please.
Lord Kerr of Kinlochard (CB)
My Lords, I agree with the need to involve allies. I would like to say a word about the need to involve former enemies as well. My uncle was shell-shocked and injured at Kohima. My father was one of the first Army doctors to go into Bergen-Belsen; I think he was the first. They would have said that it is very important that commemoration should also be mingled with reconciliation. It is important that, on VE Day, the Germans are fully involved, as the Japanese should be on VJ Day.
Baroness in Waiting/Government Whip (Baroness Blake of Leeds) (Lab)
It is the turn of the Cross Benches.
Lord Craig of Radley (CB)
My Lords, as one of probably quite few Members of today’s House who was a teenager during the Second World War, I add my commendation to Group Captain Hemingway. He was born in Dublin, as was I, and very many Irishmen served in the Second World War with great distinction, who should not be forgotten.