Election of Speaker

Harriet Harman Excerpts

Tuesday 18th May 2010 Commons Chamber

[Ms Harriet Harman (Camberwell and Peckham) (Lab)]

First, may I join in the congratulations to the hon. Member for Louth and Horncastle (Sir Peter Tapsell) on what I should perhaps describe as his ascension to Father of the House? May I also congratulate you, Mr Speaker-Elect, on resuming the Speaker’s Chair? I know that you will be dedicated, that you are 100% committed to this House and that you will be fair to both sides and to Front and Back Benchers. You will have the full confidence and support of the House and you will receive my advice on occasions as well.

May I also congratulate all those Members who have been re-elected? We have had to place ourselves in front of our constituents and account for our work over the past years, and it is a great honour and privilege to be re-elected. No matter how many times I am re-elected, it is still a great thrill and an awesome privilege, even though I have been a Member of this House since I was 32—and, believe me, that was not recently.

I should like to congratulate and very warmly welcome all the new Members, who will receive a great deal of advice from older Members. They will say things like, “Learn the ropes and keep your head down—probably for about the first 10 years.” I suggest that new Members ignore that advice. Members of this House are elected by constituents to blaze a trail and speak up for them, and I am sure that that is what our new colleagues will do.

May I offer my congratulations to the new Prime Minister? He has an awesome and heavy responsibility. I think we all agree that we need strong and stable government, but we also need strong opposition. We will be a strong, effective, self-confident and determined Opposition, holding this Government to account.

I shall conclude with two further points. First, I join the Prime Minister in sending all our best wishes to my right hon. Friend the Member for East Ham (Mr Timms), who was attacked in his constituency at an advice surgery. I think we all send him our best wishes.

Finally, we in this House have our differences, but I think we are united in being very pleased and relieved that nowhere on these green Benches is there a member of the British National party.