Lifelong Learning

Baroness Curran Excerpts

Thursday 6th February 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Curran (Lab) (Maiden Speech)]

I am very pleased to speak in this debate this afternoon, as I have embarked on my own programme of lifelong learning these past few weeks. Although this is my third parliamentary Chamber, I still feel the nerves and anxiety of the new girl. But any anxiety has been greatly assuaged by the kindness and graciousness with which I have been welcomed. That it has come from all sides of the House is greatly appreciated. My sincere thanks go to Black Rod, her amazing staff, the wise doorkeepers, the cleaners, the catering staff and the incredible staff in the Library. The support I have had from my noble friends Lady Smith and Lord Kennedy has been both encouraging and empowering—not words I usually associate with a Chief Whip.

I am sure my late parents could never have foreseen me standing here. They arrived in Townhead in Glasgow from Ireland with scarcely a penny in their pockets. They taught my three sisters and me the value of education, the dignity of honest labour, and a deep belief in equality for all. I owe so much to my family, especially to my sister Bridget, who is in the Gallery today, and who, since I could read, has thrust a book into my hand—books that I believe have changed the course of my life.

There is a part of me that is surprised that I am here: a working-class girl with no historic or familial connection to politics. That I have sustained this is because of the encouragement I received from my noble friends Lady Harman and Lady Liddell, who introduced me to your Lordships’ House. Both of them are icons of progress and change. I thank them for helping me in these past few weeks and the many years before.

My mother always said that Scotland had been good to her family. She understood only too well the benefit of government help—from family allowance paid to mothers, the provision of social housing and investment in state education—proving for me that the real measure of politics is less in the high rhetoric, or the flags flown, but in the lives changed.

I cherish my Irish roots, but my mother’s words gave me a deep love of Scotland. As I grew up, Scotland faced profound change. There was a clamour for a new kind of politics and a new parliament to address the injustice and inequality that had plagued our nation for too long. Those were exciting times, and I am very proud that on the Labour Benches we achieved that momentous 50:50 representation of women and men.

I served in the Scottish Parliament for 12 years, half of them in the Scottish Cabinet, and that Parliament made its mark early. My own work involved landmark legislation on homelessness and violence against women, and as Housing Minister we fundamentally altered investment in Glasgow’s dilapidated housing through a stock transfer. This would not have been possible without the actions of the then Chancellor, Gordon Brown, who lifted the stranglehold of the city’s housing debt. That was a clear demonstration of the value of the partnership we have built across the UK, reinforcing my deep belief in a strong, assertive Scottish Parliament, enhanced by the solidarity we must maintain across our nations and regions. Of course, these issues were to the fore during the heady days of the Scottish referendum. As shadow Secretary of State for Scotland during my five years in the other place, I argued then, and I will continue to argue, that the best interests of Scotland are served by leading in the UK, not leaving it.

More recently, I worked internationally to support political and parliamentary development. I recall women in Libya, Myanmar, Guatemala and other countries who, through years of conflict and oppression, have shown resilience, courage and commitment. In this work I found myself translated into different languages: Arabic, Portuguese, Russian and others. Occasionally, my English colleagues would ask for some translation too. I hope that in this House I will not need too much translation, because here voices from Glasgow should be heard. We should hear voices from other parts of the land too—from our inner cities and our rural communities, our islands and our coastal regions. We have to understand the ambitions, talents and aspirations across our land that are too often frustrated and unfulfilled.

It is why sustained programmes of lifelong learning are more important than ever. We must drive change now, as Labour Governments have in the past, to unleash the reservoir of ability and energy that I see every day. That is how we will navigate our way through a changing and turbulent world, fuel economic growth and offer a path to new skills, better jobs and increased prosperity for all.