Lord Mandelson

Debate between Natalie Fleet and Chris Ward

Wednesday 4th February 2026 Commons Chamber

[Chris Ward]

I am going to make some progress, and deal with the motion.

[Natalie Fleet]

Will the Minister give way?

[Chris Ward]

I will give way to my hon. Friend. [Interruption.] She is the first Member behind me to whom I have given way.

[Natalie Fleet]

rose—

[Natalie Fleet]

Does the Minister agree that we are here today because of the brave women who have spoken out and led us here? Does he agree that we have a responsibility—a shared responsibility as a House—to make sure that no stone is unturned, and that as a Government we will make absolutely sure that the victims at the heart of the paedophile Epstein’s crimes get the justice that they deserve, we will continue to call out this behaviour wherever we see it, and we will do everything we can, now that we are in government, to halve violence against women and girls? It is too little too late, but it is needed now more than ever.

[Chris Ward]

I entirely agree. I could not have put it anywhere near as well as that—and, as I said earlier, my hon. Friend made an incredibly powerful speech earlier. She quoted Virginia Giuffre at length, which was an extraordinarily powerful way in which to make the point, and she made it better than anyone, because it is the victims whom we should have in mind.