"My Lords, the Government’s clear manifesto commitment was that
“the arts and music will no longer be the preserve of a privileged few”.
Nothing is more crucial to the fulfilment of this pledge than ensuring continued access to our world-class specialist music and dance schools on the basis of talent, …..." Lord Kirkham - View Speech
"My Lords, I am able to speak today only because of a chance discussion 18 years ago during a general health check-up in the USA. This led to a positive prostate cancer test back here in the UK, which gave me the opportunity to radically improve my health and extend …..." Lord Kirkham - View Speech
"I declare an interest as deputy patron of Outward Bound and former chair of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Those charities both focus on engaging children in challenging outdoor activities, but music has exactly the same potential to build resilience, self-confidence, perseverance and teamworking skills, boost mental health and deliver …..." Lord Kirkham - View Speech
"My Lords, I begin by declaring an interest as a retailer. I started work at 16 as a shop assistant, in 1969 founded the business that would become DFS furniture, and more recently served for a time as director of the retailer Iceland Foods.
"My Lords, I approach today’s debate from an unusual and perhaps even unique perspective: as a life Peer of working-class origins who has been sitting on the Conservative Benches since 23 July 1999, precisely 25 years ago today; an entrepreneur who has enjoyed modest success in the now highly fashionable …..." Lord Kirkham - View Speech
"Few subjects arouse stronger passions than the food that we consume. This should be no surprise given the well-attested evidence that we really are what we eat. In my home town of Doncaster—now, happily my home city—more than a decade ago, as some noble Lords may recall, a group of …..." Lord Kirkham - View Speech
"My Lords, it is a great privilege to participate in this debate on the gracious Speech. As a working-class child growing up in the north of England, I never maximised my grammar school education and have devoted much of the last 35 years to levelling-up efforts on behalf of the …..." Lord Kirkham - View Speech
"We live in a world that is hungry for data, where every business, charity, NGO and government department is eager to gather more and more information about our health, habits, motivation, interests and desires. Whether we like it or not, every journey we make is tracked by CCTV, and every …..." Lord Kirkham - View Speech
"My Lords, I heartily thank the most reverend Primate the Archbishop of Canterbury for today’s debate and for reminding us that free speech is fundamental to a just and generous society. Indeed, he said that it is the only means for a just and generous society. Clearly, freedom of speech …..." Lord Kirkham - View Speech
"Surely none of us can be in any doubt at all about the critical importance of teachers in society. We all know from our own experience, or that of our children and grandchildren, how a good teacher can spark interests, arouse enthusiasm and encourage engagement that will set a child …..." Lord Kirkham - View Speech