Queen’s Speech — House of Lords, 2017-06-21
Topic: Mixed Topics
Michael Bruce Forsyth (Conservative, Centre-right): I knew I could unite this House. Alex Salmond, in the words of his beloved "Flower of Scotland", was sent "homeward tae think again". He left quoting Walter Scott’s poem about my noble friend Lord Dundee’s famous Jacobite relative: "You have not seen the last of my bonnet and me!" The Jacobite cry "Down with the Elector" might have been more appropriate, as the SNP lost 21, or 40%, of its seats. The Scottish Tories, led by the outstanding Ruth Davidson—who, incidentally, was first spotted by my noble friend Lady Fall—won 12 more seats and the other unionist parties a further nine. Fundraising by the SNP for a new independence referendum is reported as having been cancelled. Nicola Sturgeon says that she is considering her position on Indyref2 and our United Kingdom has been saved from further nationalist-inspired instability. The Prime Minister, by facing down their demands for a second referendum, has set back the cause of separatists—to coin a phrase—for a generation It looked like a good election for Labour. Indeed, it is behaving as if it won it, despite being 56 seats behind the Tories. And the new, rapturous enthusiasm on the Benches opposite for Jeremy Corbyn, is matched only by their relief that he is not running the country—go on, smile. Oh yes, Labour now certainly has momentum, but sadly for them, Momentum now has Labour. This was not in the plan. As Robert Burns explained to an 18th-century mouse: "The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men Gang aft agley, An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain, For promis’d joy!" In my party’s case there is little joy, as 33 good colleagues were defeated and we have lost our overall majority, despite a record number of votes. We got 318 seats and I expected 375—375 turns out to be the number of seats in which the Liberals lost their deposits campaigning for a rerun of the referendum This brings me to the most important commitment in the gracious Speech for this new, long Parliament: ensuring that our country takes full advantage of the opportunities open to us as we leave the European Union. There is serious work to do, and this House knows its duty and can—and I am sure will—continue to make a constructive contribution to delivering Brexit and building a new partnership with our European friends The Chancellor of the Exchequer has rightly emphasised the importance of securing jobs and prosperity as we leave the European Union. Free trade is central to achieving that economic objective. One thing Donald Trump and Jean-Claude Juncker have in common is their hostility to free trade. Yet the case for it is not just economic, it is a moral case. It is estimated that more than a billion lives have been lifted out of extreme poverty by trade since 1981. Encouraging free trade brings prosperity, social stability and ultimately global security One in 12 of the world’s population under the age of 28 is living in India, where the EU has no trade deal. Scotch whisky is subject to a massive tariff in a market a fraction of which could keep distilleries going to the crack of doom. Coffee is the second most-traded commodity after oil in the world. The entire continent of Africa exports coffee to the European Union amounting to $2.4 billion, while Germany alone earns far more at $3.8 billion on exports of coffee. How can this be? The EU customs union has no tariff on raw beans, but any added-value product is penalised. This ensures that added value is retained inside the Union and denied to poorer African countries, which results in higher prices in our shops. The EU tariff on decaffeinated coffee from a third country is subject to a duty of 9%. A similar story applies to cocoa and the duty on chocolate is even more egregious I welcome the commitment in the gracious Speech on mental health services. This is something the Prime Minister has championed, together with my right honourable friend Dr Liam Fox, who is particularly concerned as Secretary of State for Defence with those service men and women suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Norman Lamb too—I hope my mentioning him will not damage his leadership chances—has been a tireless campaigner as a Liberal Minister in the coalition Government and as a Back-Bencher. More recently, Prince William and Prince Harry have spoken out to encourage people to see mental illness like any other health issue. In this context, I urge the Government to focus on one area of great concern: the number one killer of young men in Britain today is suicide, accounting for about one-quarter of all deaths in men aged between 20 and 34. Men are three times more likely to take their own lives than women. We need to reach out to men suffering from depression and find ways to neutralise any sense of stigma or shame which may prevent them from seeking the help they need As a Minister of State many years ago responsible for prisons in the Home Office, and later as Secretary of State more than 20 years ago, I was acutely conscious of the number of people who end up behind bars who suffer from bipolar disorders, depression and other conditions. I recall with great sadness visiting Cornton Vale in my constituency in Stirling—which I am delighted to say has been returned to Conservative representation—on Christmas Day when another young woman had taken her life. Mental illness has been the poor relation for far too long and I am sure the whole House will support reform I conclude by turning to the substance of the Motion. We are surely blessed that we do not have a presidential system of government in our country, and we have been doubly blessed by the wonderful service and inspiration which Her Majesty the Queen has given to our country and the Commonwealth. Long may she reign over us. I beg to move the Motion for an Humble Address to Her Majesty.