July 14, 2016 | Graham

Theresa May on her return from Buck Palace



Theresa May, the newly appointed PM of Great Britain, gave this speech on her return from Buckingham Palace after being commissioned by the Queen.

It strikes interesting notes that would resonate well in the Australian context, assuming of course that the politician delivering them could deliver on them.

I have just been to Buckingham Palace, where Her Majesty the Queen has asked me to form a new Government. And I accepted. In David Cameron, I follow in the footsteps of a great, modern Prime Minister. Under David’s leadership, the Government stabilised the economy, reduced the budget deficit, and helped more people into work than ever before. But David’s true legacy is not about the economy, but about social justice.

From the introduction of same-sex marriage to taking people on low wages out of income tax altogether, David Cameron has led a One Nation Government, and it is in that spirit that I also plan to lead. Because not everybody knows this, but the full title of my party is the Conservative and Unionist Party. And that word ‘Unionist’ is very important to me. It means we believe in the Union – the precious, precious bond between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

But it means something else that is just as important. It means we believe in a union, not just between the nations of the United Kingdom, but between all of our citizens. Every one of us, whoever we are, and wherever we’re from. That means fighting against the burning injustice that if you’re born poor, you will die on average nine years earlier than others.

If you’re black, you’re treated more harshly by the criminal justice system than if you’re white. If you’re a white, working-class boy, you are less likely than anybody else in Britain to go to university. If you’re at a state school, you’re less likely to reach the top professions than if you are educated privately. If you’re a woman, you will earn less than a man. If you suffer from mental health problems, there’s not enough help to hand. If you’re young, you will find it harder than ever before to own your own home.

But the mission to make Britain a country that works for everyone means more than fighting these injustices. If you’re from an ordinary, working-class family, life is much harder than many people in Westminster realise. You have a job but you don’t always have job security. You have your own home, but you worry about paying the mortgage. You can just about manage, but you worry about the cost of living and getting your kids into a good school.

If you’re one of those families, if you’re just managing, I want to address you directly. I know you’re working around the clock, I know you’re doing your best, and I know that sometimes life can be a struggle. The Government I lead will be driven not by the interests of the privileged few, but by yours. We will do everything we can to give you more control over your lives. When we take the big calls, we’ll think not of the powerful but you. When we pass new laws, we’ll listen not to the mighty but to you. When it comes to taxes, we’ll prioritise not the wealthy but you. When it comes to opportunity, we won’t entrench the advantages of the fortunate few. We will do everything we can to help anybody, whatever your background, to go as far as your talents will take you.

We are living through an important moment in our country’s history. Following the referendum, we face a time of great national change. And I know, because we’re Great Britain, that we will rise to the challenge. As we leave the European Union, we will forge a bold, new, positive role for ourselves in the world. And we will make Britain a country that works not for a privileged few but for every one of us.

That will be the mission of the Government I lead, and together we will build a better Britain.



Posted by Graham at 9:09 pm | Comments (3) |

3 Comments

  1. A new Iron Lady and the most impressive conservative Leader the U.K. has produced for ages, and seemingly a true progressive conservative the like of which we’ve not seen since before the turn of the last century!?

    And the very Leader the conservative party needs to unite it, and indeed the fracturing U.K., if that’s still possible? Unfortunately our conservatives, the vast bulk of them, I believe, would look entirely out of place in Teresa May’s Parliament! And at total odds with her expressed sentiments?

    Nonetheless, she is exactly the kind of Leader with exactly the right kind of message and hope for the future; to rebuild a once great party here as well!

    But as I look around I just don’t see anyone here in the Australian context to match her ambition or promise. Just a lot of me first, second and last if there’s any left over idealogues, whose fixed in cement mindset, parsimonious sermonizing and crony capitalism is all they seem to be able offer along with more of the same?

    For just once, would it be too much to ask that the party just abandon all the counterproductive infighting and dissent, get behind someone with a modicum of future vision and a strong advocate of essential social justice; and just stay the course until the job of rebuilding OZ and reuniting the party is truly done!

    President Kennedy had it absolutely right when he said, and he could have been speaking from the grave to today’s coalition, “it is not what the country can do for you, but what you can do for the country!”
    Alan B. Goulding.

    Comment by Alan B. Goulding — July 15, 2016 @ 9:04 am

  2. Meaningless platitudes from a conservative politician. Reducing the budget deficit has become a religion with Tory politicians worldwide, it’s counterproductive. The U.K. voters blamed the EU for the results of the austerity program of their government.

    Britain won’t leave the EU, the country’s oligarchy will never allow it, sooner or later the British will try crawl back to the EU by cobbling together some compromise.

    Comment by RussellW — July 18, 2016 @ 5:32 pm

  3. I hold high hopes for Britain, Under the new and pragmatic Leader, which now has no other real choice than to follow through and make the best of a bad bargain? Which should see the connection with Europe remain largely unchanged save for the former open borders?
    Alan B. Goulding

    Comment by Alan B. Goulding — July 22, 2016 @ 8:57 am

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