Peter Fortune is the MP for Bromley and Biggin Hill
There is little as peculiar as a maiden speech in Parliament.
It is possibly the only time in politics you are guaranteed by convention to be uninterrupted. What would otherwise be an unparalleled opportunity to address a captive audience of lawmakers is dashed by the tradition dictating you say nothing controversial.
Remarkably, it matters – at least in the House of Commons.
As a fresh-faced Member of Parliament, until you deliver your maiden speech, you cannot fully participate.
There are still plenty of things to do in the meantime, not least setting up your new office, tackling hundreds of pieces of casework already received, and meeting people, groups and businesses across the constituency. But it’s also a unique opportunity to pause, listen and learn before you speak.
So that’s what I did, attending as many debates and questions during the little time the House of Commons sat since the election ten weeks ago. Delivering a maiden speech in such a historic and imposing chamber is unavoidably daunting.
Tradition says you commend any other maiden speakers who go before you, praise your predecessors, and make a pitch to have the best constituency in Britain. Despite this formula, each is uniquely personal, and you want to put your best foot forward.
It is somewhat easier to stand out as a new Conservative MP because there are so few of us.
In total, only 26 new blue-rosette-wearing candidates won in July. This is dwarfed by the 231 new Labour MPs and half as many as the 55 new Liberal Democrats who will also be considering their first words in Parliament. While being one of 26 is slightly more reassuring than being the 231st Labour MP wondering what’s left to say, the thought raises new nerves about the seriousness of reviving the Conservative Party.
Any candidate has spoken plenty of times before.
Whether it’s countless doorstep conversations, crowded community events or the odd hustings, elections not only propel you to Parliament but prepare you as well. Although I’ve stood in four general elections in nine years and served as a Bromley councillor and London Assembly Member, a maiden speech still sparked trepidation.
That’s how I felt when I stood up, but I was heartened by the many new colleagues who came to hear and support me through the speech.
So, I chose to deliver mine during a debate on building safety following the Grenfell tragedy.
This is an important issue for the nation and my constituents, especially Northpoint residents, who are still affected by the cladding scandal. I spoke of one of my predecessors, Harold Macmillan, who served as Bromley’s MP until 1964. From him, our Party has much to learn today to house a new generation who have been priced out of homeownership and increasingly from renting.
But also – perhaps uniquely for a Conservative – I spoke to a local Coney Hall Communist, Elsy Borders, who led the mortgage strike of 1937, intentionally defaulting on payments until structural building flaws were repaired. Again, although from a different political tradition, history offers another clear lesson for today’s centre-right.
I didn’t deviate from tradition.
Sir Bob Neill KC, my outstanding predecessor, deserves much praise for his contribution to Parliament and London politics. I also believe I serve the best constituency in Britain. Bromley and Biggin Hill have contributed to literature, sport and science, not just politics. H.G. Wells, Richmal Crompton and Hanif Kureishi are all connected to the constituency. Enid Blyton was one of the first teachers at Bickley Park School. Bromley FC was recently promoted to the English Football League, becoming the only club with a Conservative MP. I can already hear the chant “You’ve got the only Tory” from their opponents. And the rector of Hayes, Thomas Hussey, noticed “the possibility of some disturbing body beyond Uranus”. That’s right, Bromley and Biggin Hill discovered Neptune.
While I think maiden speeches matter in the House of Commons. I am unsure they matter outside. They’re peculiar in nature and, by tradition, uncontroversial. Only you, dear readers, can be the judge. However, the one thing I know from having stood there and delivered my maiden speech is that it brings home the opportunity, privilege and responsibility of sitting as a Member of Parliament. Especially when you consider that the great man himself, Winston Churchill, once spoke from the same green benches. And think of the brave men and women who defended our sovereignty and democracy in the last century, like the pilots we remembered on Battle of Britain Day who flew from Biggin Hill.
Whether maiden speeches matter or not, the moment’s weight bears down on the speaker.
None more so for me than when I thanked my beautiful family, without whom I am nothing, and remembered the sacrifice of those who are so much better than me. And that can only be a good thing for parliamentarians to remember as they begin their public service – regardless of whether the speech rises to the moment.
