Starmer Hails ‘Most Diverse Parliament Ever’ in Inaugural Speech as PM Amid New Political Era

Starmer Commends 'Most Diverse Parliament Ever' in Inaugural Address as Prime Minister

In their debut speeches as leaders after the recent elections, Sir Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak addressed the parliament. They were accompanied by other party leaders, such as Reform's Nigel Farage and the Liberal Democrats' Sir Ed Davey.

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Tuesday, July 9, 2024, 3:

In his inaugural address to the House of Commons, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer celebrated the "most ethnically and gender-diverse parliament" in history.

Sir Keir addressed the assembly after Sir Lindsay Hoyle was re-elected without opposition as the Speaker of the House of Commons, which reconvened after being dissolved for the election period.

Rishi Sunak addressed the assembly for the first time since the Conservatives suffered an electoral loss under his leadership.

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In his address, Sir Keir remarked, "Mr. Speaker elect, you oversee a fresh parliament, the most varied in terms of race and gender that this nation has ever witnessed.

"I take great pride in the role that my party has contributed, and I am equally proud of the contributions from all parties in this endeavor. This includes having the most significant number of LGBT+ MPs in this session than any other parliament globally."

He proceeded to honor Diane Abbott, now recognized as the Mother of the House for being the longest-serving female MP consecutively, though he omitted any reference to the internal discord within the party regarding her candidacy in the upcoming election.

Mr. Sunak took the podium in the Commons after his predecessor.

During his address, the newly appointed opposition leader emphasized the importance of recognizing that despite fierce debates among politicians, all members of the legislature share a common commitment to serving their constituents, the nation, and upholding the values they sincerely hold dear.

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Discover further: The academic credentials of the latest ministerial lineup. The changes in the Conservative senior squad. Potential successors to Rishi Sunak within the Conservative Party leadership.

The leader of the Conservative Party issued an apology to the Tory Members of Parliament who were ousted following his decision to call an election.

"My apologies," he expressed.

Our community has suffered a great loss with the passing of numerous dedicated and civic-minded members, whose knowledge and skills will be notably absent in future deliberations and debates.

Following 14 years of governance, it is crucial for the Conservative Party to focus on reconstruction.

"We will now assume the important duties of the official opposition to His Majesty with professionalism, efficiency, and humility."

Subsequent speeches by other party leaders included numerous tributes to Sir Lindsay.

This featured the inaugural Commons speech by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, now an MP, who humorously remarked on his numerous attempts to win the seat.

Mr. Farage proceeded to criticize Sir Lindsay's forerunner, John Bercow, regarding his stance on Brexit.

Representatives from various parties, such as Sir Ed Davey of the Liberal Democrats, Stephen Flynn from the SNP, and Adrian Ramsay of the Greens, also delivered speeches in the Commons.

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Sir Lindsay was re-elected as speaker without opposition, following the tradition of the previous office holder being returned to parliament after an election.

Prior to Sir Lindsay's election, the most senior member of the House oversaw the proceedings and the election process.

The title of Father of the House is held by the member of the Commons with the longest continuous service, who is presently the Conservative MP, Sir Edward Leigh.

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