Rishi Sunak's made his first speech as leader of the opposition in the House of Commons.Source: Reuters
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00:00Well, Mr Speaker-elect, I'm pleased to join the Prime Minister in welcoming you back to the
00:04Speaker's Chair, and can I also praise the wonderful speech from the Honourable Member
00:08for Lancaster and Wyre. And can I start by congratulating the Prime Minister on his election
00:13victory, and as he takes on his formidable task, he and his family deserve the good wishes of all
00:18of us in this House. In our politics, we can argue vigorously, as the Prime Minister and I did over
00:25the past six weeks, but still respect each other. And whatever disputes we may have in this
00:29Parliament, I know that everyone in this House will not lose sight of the fact that we are all
00:34motivated by our desire to serve our constituents, our country, and advance the principles that we
00:40honourably believe in. And to every Member, new and old, let me welcome them to their places,
00:45and congratulate them on their results. To be sent to this place by one's constituents
00:50is the greatest honour, privilege, and responsibility. I know every one of us will
00:55be trying to repay the trust placed in us, and I look forward to continuing to represent the
01:00interests of my own rural North Yorkshire constituents. One of the great aspects of
01:05our system is no matter how high you rise, you still have that constituency which keeps you
01:10grounded. And my advice to all Members is to appreciate the role that you have every day
01:15that you have it. And for those of us in my party, let me begin with a message to those
01:21who are no longer sitting behind me. I am sorry. We have lost too many diligent, community-spirited
01:27representatives, whose wisdom and expertise will be missed in the debates and discussions ahead.
01:33It is important that after 14 years in government, the Conservative party rebuilds.
01:38So now we will take up the crucial role of His Majesty's official opposition,
01:42professionally, effectively and humbly. And restoring trust begins by remembering that
01:48being here is an opportunity to do what those we serve expect of us. And in our case,
01:53that means holding the new government to account.
01:57Can I congratulate the Father of the House, the Member for Gainsborough? My right hon. Friend
02:02has given 41 years of remarkable, dedicated service to this House and his constituency.
02:09I know full well how ferociously my right hon. Friend fights for the interests of his constituents,
02:14and I applaud him for that. My right hon. Friend is also testament to the benefits
02:19of an early morning dip in the serpentine. Members may be interested to note that the
02:25Bottomleys have also had a big influence on my right hon. Friend's career. It was in 1974
02:32that my right hon. Friend ran against Arthur Bottomley in Middlesbrough in his first effort
02:36to enter this place, and today he takes over from Sir Peter, who will be missed.
02:43And can I also congratulate the new Mother of the House, the Member for Hackney North
02:46and Stoke Newington? We have our differences on policy, but no one can deny the right hon. Lady's
02:53important role in this House and the inspiration for so many young women of colour that she has
02:59provided. The right hon. Lady is, true in every sense of the word, a trailblazer.
03:07And can I join with you, Mr Speaker-elect, to thank House staff for their hard work in welcoming
03:12our new colleagues to this House and their service over the coming Parliament? And finally,
03:18may I congratulate you, Mr Speaker-elect? When you first ascended to the Speaker's Chair,
03:22you did so with a healthy majority, and that was testament to your wide appeal
03:28and the confidence in which this House places in you and your judgments. The last Conservative
03:33Prime Minister, the right hon. Member for John Major, who spoke from these Opposition Benches,
03:37said about the role of the Speaker,
03:40The job certification is pretty daunting. The patience of Job and the wisdom of Solomon
03:45are only the basic requirements. We demand also impartiality, independence and fairness.
03:53Well, Mr Speaker-elect, you have shown over the past four and a half years how to protect
03:58that careful balance. The last few years in this House have been at times difficult,
04:02and you, sir, have always brought this House together. That was clear when we lost our
04:08colleague Sir David Amess, and I know your guidance and support for Members then was
04:12greatly appreciated. It is a privilege to be in this House. Our democracy is powerful,
04:18and as we have witnessed, it can be definitive. But I know that this House will, true to its
04:24best traditions, hold the Executive to account, and I know that Mr Speaker-elect will facilitate that.
04:30So, in conclusion, Mr Speaker-elect, I have no doubt that we will face difficult days
04:34together in this place, but I also know that I speak for the whole House when I say that
04:39we will all welcome your leadership and guidance in the months and years ahead.