Debate on the Address

Luke Graham Excerpts

Monday 14th October 2019 Commons Chamber

[Luke Graham (Ochil and South Perthshire) (Con)]

I thank my right hon. Friend for giving way so generously. On the subject of HS2, she mentioned the issue of whistleblowers, one of whom lives in my constituency and has not had the redress, or the opportunity to put his case forward in the way that is justifiable and that should be awarded to a constituent. Does she agree that whistleblowers and their evidence, and also the chance to address the issue of compensation, should be included as part of that review? Furthermore, does she agree that any future HS2 project should be truly national—in other words linking Scotland, England and Wales together?

[Dame Cheryl Gillan]

I could not agree more. I have to say that I am very sorry for my hon. Friend’s constituent. Quite simply, the lessons have not been learned from the early days of HS2, when my constituents, as I said earlier in my speech, were treated with disdain. All sorts of things took place, which in a democracy—in our modern democracy—should not have happened. I hope that my hon. Friend’s constituent gets redress, and I advise him never to give up. I am not giving up after 10 years, and I am still hopeful that there could be a cancellation in the offing.

Cancelling HS2 will not harm the country. The money could be spent on the nation’s digital, transport and energy infrastructure, as set out in the Queen’s Speech today. I really welcome the intention to produce a comprehensive national infrastructure strategy; it is something that I have consistently called for. We need to revolutionise the infrastructure of this country by providing better transport links, particularly in the north of England. We want better bus services, an electric charging network, high-speed broadband, 5G and more reliable commuter services. We can spend taxpayers’ money so much better than on HS2, particularly phase 1. Now we hear that HS2 might stop at Old Oak Common. If that happens, the business case goes right out the window. I think that that is enough on HS2 now.

Let me move briefly on to the proposed election Bill. When the Government consider election reform, I ask them to think very carefully. I am already getting a lot of emails from constituents who are worried that the legislation will contain photographic identification for voting. I have the pleasure of sitting on the Council of Europe. I recently led the monitoring team for the elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where I bumped into my hon. Friend the Member for Beckenham (Bob Stewart), and where they produce photo ID as a matter of course. People cannot vote until they produce their ID, but these are countries where national ID cards are a matter of course. We do not have a national ID card here. I am very worried about the most vulnerable in our society, so I encourage the Government to think hard about that provision and perhaps turn their mind to looking at the rules around referendums and the changes that were recommended by the Constitution Unit’s commission, on which I had the privilege to sit with the right hon. and learned Member for Beaconsfield (Mr Grieve), who has just come into the Chamber. Updating our rules in the light of developments, particularly with social media and artificial intelligence, is of critical importance if we wish to retain confidence in our systems and keep them ahead of the technology challenges that threaten to derail them.

--- Later in debate ---

[Luke Graham]

My hon. Friend is making a fantastic speech. Does he agree that some of the rhetoric from SNP Members is completely hypocritical? Does he also agree that they fail to see the irony of advocating for one union and yet coming into this House and trying to break apart the very Parliament that we sit in? We are one country. We are not a club of international states. We are one country, one state; four nations, one state. It is something very different that they fail to appreciate.

[Andrew Bowie]

My hon. Friend will be amazed to hear that I agree 100% with what he says.

Today, in this bold, ambitious and positive one nation Queen’s Speech, we, this Government, outlined how we will be investing in our NHS, investing in culture, investing in schools and investing in our police—all of which, of course, means extra funding for the Scottish Government to spend on priorities north of the border, benefiting constituents in my part of the world. These are the actions of a bold Conservative Government governing for all and delivering for the peoples of our whole nation—our one nation. The term “one nation” is bandied about quite liberally these days. You will know, Mr Deputy Speaker, that it comes first from Benjamin Disraeli in his novel, “Sybil”, which I remember struggling through at university. Through the young Chartist, Morley, he first spoke about how in this country there existed:

“Two nations; between whom there is no intercourse and no sympathy; who are as ignorant of each other’s habits, thoughts, and feelings, as if they were dwellers in different zones, or inhabitants of different planets”.

He was talking about the gap between the rich and poor of mid-Victorian Britain, but it is a sad fact that Britain today seems at times like a country as divided as anything that Disraeli may have imagined—between remainer and Brexiteer, dealer and no-dealer. Although they are all of our one United Kingdom, it seems at times we have before us two nations between which, again, there is no intercourse or sympathy. I know that the majority of Members across the House are as concerned about this situation as I am—a situation where Members who simply hold differing opinions can be called traitors, and where simply because a person seeks a different outcome, they can be classed as an enemy.

There is only one way to bring this country back together and to end this interminable and angry debate which is doing such damage to the body politic and to public debate in this country, and that is to deliver on the will of the British people, as expressed in the referendum in 2016—not at any cost, but to support a deal and support this Government, to leave the European Union on good terms. That surely must be the resolution of this House. There is simply no other credible option. Only then can we reunite this country, move on and get on with delivering this bold, ambitious and truly one nation agenda, which I for one look forward to arguing for and implementing.