Black History Month

Kirsteen Sullivan Excerpts

Thursday 24th October 2024 Commons Chamber

[Kirsteen Sullivan (Bathgate and Linlithgow) (Lab/Co-op)]

I congratulate all my friends from across the Chamber who have made their maiden speech today. I particularly congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Suffolk Coastal (Jenny Riddell-Carpenter), who gave such a glowing recommendation for retirement options, although hopefully I will not need to think about that for a while yet. I also thank my friends for the contributions that have been made so far—for sharing their experiences and stories, and the meaning that they attach to Black History Month. We are in this Chamber to celebrate black change-makers past and present who have shone a light on racial injustice and helped to shape a more equitable and just future. From every corner of the UK and the world, there are untold stories that can offer us reflection and inspiration.

I have been pre-empted slightly by my hon. Friend the Member for Southend West and Leigh (David Burton-Sampson), but there is a little-known story from my constituency of Bathgate and Linlithgow that I am grateful to my constituent David for raising with me and my predecessor. While I am the first woman MP for most of the area covered by the new constituency, we can also claim the first black Scottish MP. I want to bring the story of Mr Peter McLagan MP to Parliament today. In the 1865 general election, Peter McLagan was elected and became Scotland’s first black MP, representing the constituency of Linlithgowshire, which is now mostly covered by Bathgate and Linlithgow. To date, his portrait remains missing from the pioneers’ gallery in this place, and that is an issue that I hope to take up.

Mr McLagan served continuously for almost 30 years, and cut across social divides, supporting women’s suffrage and women’s right to education—causes that, as we know, were very unpopular with his fellow Members at the time. None the less, he was a product of his time. His attitudes towards imperialism and the circumstances surrounding his wealth, which he inherited from his plantation-owning father, are reminders of the honest conversations that we must have about our history. We must be willing to learn—to understand the past in order to challenge the racism and intolerance of today. We are all historians in that respect. Nearly 160 years later, there is still much to do to ensure that all our Chambers reflect the communities that we are elected to serve.

On to the present. In Bathgate and Linlithgow, our black history is still being made. I will tell the story of an incredible black woman I have been fortunate to know for several years, Eunice Simpson. Originally from Ghana, she has made her home in Blackburn, West Lothian. Eunice always wanted to expand her horizons and do what she could to help women, in particular. She wanted to build a network of support for those in need, but her life was turned upside down when, in her final year of university, a fire that ripped through her student accommodation destroyed her possessions and savings, leaving her future up in the air —or so she thought.

Eunice is not a woman to be defeated. When she arrived in the UK, she immediately got to work putting herself through the professional accountancy exams while working for charities across the Lothians. In the Bathgate and Linlithgow constituency, we are fortunate to have the West Lothian African Women’s Network, founded by Eunice. It is a pioneering community project that supports black women in finding their feet, growing their businesses, connecting through culture and providing support to families. It has been hugely inspiring to watch Eunice build this group with the support of many women from across West Lothian. I can genuinely say that every time I meet her for coffee and conversation, I come away motivated and wanting to do more. There are many great initiatives, from business seminars through to black history education sessions in local schools. Everybody involved creates a real buzz around supporting one another and being each other’s champions.

Eunice has reached beyond the African community in West Lothian by organising events that bring people together to celebrate our rich Scottish and African cultures. Her work to foster greater community cohesion and strengthen the bonds of sisterhood is a real testament to her passion and her drive. A month ago, the West Lothian African Women’s Network held its annual African-Scottish expo in Bathgate town centre. It proudly displayed African culture in the heart of Eunice’s home town. It was an opportunity to come together and enjoy music, food and dance. We welcome hon. Friends to join the celebration next year at the expo in Whitburn; I can confirm that the jollof rice is delicious and spicy.

Also a month ago, Eunice, whose future once seemed so uncertain, became West Lothian’s first black deputy lieutenant. Lieutenancies, a feature of Scottish life for 300 years, are pivotal roles in grand ceremonies and in bestowing honours. Those holding the position are even permitted to fly the Scottish royal standard above their home. It is a groundbreaking role for Eunice and truly well deserved. It is recognition of her hard work, spirit and courage. It gives her the privilege of supporting the lord lieutenant in carrying out her role representing His Majesty the King in West Lothian, which covers much of the constituency. Eunice’s story reminds me that black history is still being made—not just by Eunice, but by the hundreds of black women supported by the West Lothian African Women’s Network, and many thousands of people across the UK.

It is a great privilege to share in this place the stories of people like Peter McLagan and the history makers of today, such as Eunice, and to recognise the importance of Black History Month. Through the Government’s commitment to breaking down barriers, boosting opportunity and ensuring that equality is at the heart of every mission, we can tackle structural inequalities in pay, housing, health outcomes and so much more. We all have a part to play in ensuring that the injustices of the past are not part of our future.