I am both proud and sorrowful, although I am delighted to follow my hon. Friend the Member for Hyndburn (Sara Britcliffe)—I emphasise the word friend, because grief does bring people together.
I imagine that I speak for many when I say that I have taken some solace in hearing some of the tributes today from those who got to meet or know Her Majesty. I was never fortunate enough to have met her, but it almost feels like I had—just like everyone else in this Chamber—because there was something familiar to all of us. We will all take a bit of her with us; I like to think that the bit I will take is the humility and the kindness that everyone speaks about.
This great and proud country went through many trials and tribulations during the Elizabethan age, but she was one of the constants, providing stability through wartime as much as in peace. As many have mentioned, regardless of our political views, her sense of service to the country that she loved is to be admired and treasured, and it is something that we should all be proud of. I know what I was doing when I was 25 years of age, and I would not have been able to take on the responsibility of a country, let alone a whole host of them in the Commonwealth. I certainly could not have helped to strip an engine either.
I put on record the condolences of those in my constituency of Bury South, in the townships of Radcliffe, Whitefield and Prestwich, along with my condolences and those of my family. I think particularly of this year’s jubilee celebrations, when my daughter, who was in nursery at the time, came back home from nursery so proud that she had learned the national anthem. She did her rendition for daddy and sang, “God save our normal Queen”. Unfortunately, Lavinia, the words were not quite right, but the sentiment was there.
Her Majesty was no stranger to Bury either, visiting as a young girl in 1938 and a further six times after that. Her most recent visit was in 1992, when she opened St Peter’s Square Metrolink station and took a ride to visit Bury town hall, which she had opened 38 years prior.
What stood out for me most about the Queen’s service was not just the length, but the fact that she seemed to genuinely enjoy every single moment of it—from historic meetings with world leaders right down to visiting primary schoolchildren, she made everyone feel like they were the only person meeting her. She was a mother, a grandmother, a great-grandmother, a wife and a sister. She was a rock to the nation, but more importantly, a grandmother to the nation. She was all sorts to everyone, but she was always a Queen. The saddest thing is that there are children born today who will never know a Queen, let alone the Queen.
Finally, I think all my constituents will agree with one simple message: thank you, Ma’am. May our Queen rest in peace, and long live the King.
10.4 pm