His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

Lord Blunkett Excerpts

Monday 12th April 2021 Lords Chamber

[Lord Blunkett (Lab) [V]]

My Lords, I express my condolences to Her Majesty. I will reflect on a number of the elements that have already been touched on in the life of His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh. I reflect on what the Leader of the House and my noble friend Lady Smith said about the enormous change that has taken place during the Duke’s life and how that reflected the change that we have experienced here in Europe. The Duke had to flee; he became a refugee, obtained a Danish passport and then fled from Germany to Gordonstoun and experienced the welcome that we as a nation have given to so many—in other words, reflecting the life of the nation and the world over the past 99 years.

I reflect on something very close to my heart: his total commitment to volunteering, service and young people. I am reflecting on a young man called Lewis from Stocksbridge in Sheffield who, as an apprentice with the waste service in Sheffield, joined the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme and found his feet and his confidence and his ability to progress. He continues to volunteer, although he is well into his 20s. I reflect on the fact that, all those years ago, when I became a volunteer at the age of 16, I understood, as His Royal Highness understood very well, that it was very much a two-way street; that when I volunteered to help Mrs Plumb, who was in her 80s, I had not realised that Mrs Plumb thought she was volunteering to help me. That is the way in which he encouraged young people to give their service, as he had throughout his life given service to this nation and in support of Her Majesty the Queen.

I also reflect on his attention to detail and his sense of humour, which has been mentioned a number of times today and over the past few days. My very good friend the Reverend Dr Billings and my wife and I were at the ceremony to commemorate the offering of the Maundy money in Sheffield in 2015. After the service at the cathedral we joined the welcoming line in the town hall. My friend Alan Billings had been elected police and crime commissioner after some considerable controversy in South Yorkshire and the stepping down of his predecessor. When the Duke came down the line and spoke to Alan Billings, he had already done his homework. He said, “Who managed to get you into this terrible job?”. There was a moment’s silence before I confessed that I had persuaded him to take on the role. The Duke said in his inimitable way, “Well, with a friend like this, you don’t need any enemies”. I recall him as a man of honour, a man of commitment and a man who gave his life in service to our country and to his monarch Her Majesty the Queen. He will be greatly missed.