Politics

Mr Speaker, I am sure the whole house will want to join me in sending our very best wishes to His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh following the news that he has been admitted to hospital.

Our thoughts are with Her Majesty the Queen and all the Royal Family and we wish him a full and speedy recovery.

Mr Speaker, let me also join the Leader of the Opposition in condemning the appalling terrorist attack in his constituency earlier this week. And let me pay tribute to the work he did through the night with his constituents on Sunday.

I know the thoughts and prayers of the whole House are with the family and friends of the victim who died and all those who were injured.

And I am sure the House will want to pay tribute to the police and the emergency services for once again responding with the extraordinary professionalism and courage that makes our whole country so proud of them.

This was the fourth terrorist attack on our country in three months, following the attacks here in Westminster, in Manchester and at London Bridge.

This time it was an attack on British Muslims as they left their place of worship at a sacred time of year.

It was a brutal and sickening reminder that terrorism, extremism and hatred can take many forms – and that our determination to tackle them must be the same whoever is responsible.

This Queen’s Speech takes important steps in helping us to do so.

We will review our counter-terrorism strategy to ensure the police and security services have all the powers they need – and that the length of custodial sentences for terrorism-related offences are sufficient to keep people safe.

We will work to reach international agreements that regulate cyberspace to prevent the spread of extremism and terrorist planning – and encourage tech companies to do more to remove harmful content from their networks.

And we will establish a new Commission for Countering Extremism as a statutory body to help fight hatred and extremism in the same way as we have fought racism – because this extremism is every bit as insidious and destructive to our values and we will stop at nothing to defeat it.

Mr Speaker, I hope that whatever our disagreements, we can all at least welcome the focus in this Queen’s Speech on stamping out extremist and hateful ideology of any kind, including Islamophobia.

For like all terrorism, in whatever form, Monday’s attack sought to drive us apart and to break the precious bonds of solidarity and citizenship that we share in this country.

And our response must be to stand together more strongly than ever. To show that hatred and evil of this kind will never succeed – and that our values and our way of life will always prevail.

Mr Speaker, I would also like to say a few words about the disaster at Grenfell Tower.

The whole country was heartbroken by the horrific loss of life and the utter devastation that we have seen.

I am sure the whole House will join me in sending our deepest condolences to the friends and families of all those who lost loved ones.

And today we also think of those who survived but lost everything. One lady I had met had run from the fire with nothing more than a T-shirt and a pair of knickers. She had lost everything.

Let me be absolutely clear. The support on the ground for families in the initial hours was not good enough. People were left without belongings, without roofs over their heads, without even basic information about what had happened, what they should do and where they could seek help.

That was a failure of the state, local and national, to help people when they needed it most.

As Prime Minister, I apologise for that failure.

And as Prime Minister, I have taken responsibility for doing what we can to put things right.

That is why each family whose home was destroyed is receiving a down-payment from the emergency fund so they can buy food, clothes and other essentials.

And all those who have lost their homes will be rehoused within three weeks.

There will also be an independent public inquiry chaired by a judge to get to the truth about what happened and who was responsible – and provide justice for the victims and their families who suffered so terribly.

All those with an interest – including survivors and victims’ families, will be consulted about the terms of reference. And those affected will have their legal costs paid.

And because it is clear that the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea haven’t been able to cope with the scale of the tragedy, we will also develop a new strategy for resilience in major disasters – which could include a new Civil Disaster Response Taskforce that can help at times of emergency.

Finally, Mr Speaker, we must learn some of the lessons of this and previous disasters where bereaved families have not had the support they need.

So we will also introduce an independent public advocate for public disasters:

A strong independent voice for victims, acting on behalf of bereaved families and supporting them at public inquests and inquiries.

Mr Speaker, let me join the Leader of the Opposition in paying tribute to the two Members of Parliament that we lost in the course of last year.

Gerald Kaufman was an outstanding Parliamentarian who served this House and his constituents in Manchester for an incredible 46 years.

We did not agree on everything. But as Father of the House he was an invaluable source of wisdom and experience for Members on all sides. And he will be greatly missed.

The despicable murder of Jo Cox shocked and devastated this House and this country.

Jo was an inspirational MP, a campaigner and a humanitarian whose mission in life was defined by hope and love.

Her killer sought instead to spread hate and division. But last weekend as part of the Great Get Together, I and many hundreds of thousands of others came together in her honour, we stood together, pulled together all across the country to unite against that hatred and to prove in Jo’s own words – that “we have far more in common than that which divides us”

I am sure the whole House will join me in paying tribute also to Jo’s husband Brendan, for the extraordinary courage and strength that he has shown in dealing with such personal tragedy and for honouring Jo’s memory in such an inspiring way.

Whatever our disagreements in this House, may we all honour Jo’s memory and show that in our United Kingdom, hope will always triumph over hate.

Mr Speaker, the House will know that the first part of a successful Queen’s Speech is finding someone to propose it.

It is of course intended to be a witty speech, as indeed the speech from my Rt Hon Friend the Member for Newbury was today.

From my point of view a little too witty, because he took all the jokes I had written in my speech. But I have to say my Rt Hon Friend over the years he has been the member for Newbury and in the years he was fighting to win the seat, he has shown great commitment to his constituents but also to his constituents in the important task of government of building a stronger economy and fairer society and I know for example that as a fellow Berkshire MP that the work he has done to raise awareness of an issue that I am particularly concerned about, namely the issue of mental health.

He’s also made a significant contribution during his time as a minister. I understand that once during his time as Fisheries Minister, he mixed up his cod with his skate, but I am sure, like the rest of us, he will not fail to welcome the absence in this House today of Salmond.

My rt hon friend

My Rt Hon Friend the Member for Newbury showed great skill and tenacity over three years of negotiations on the Common Fisheries Policy.

It started with the UK as a minority of one and ended with the EU unanimously supporting a reform agenda, the principles of which will be at the heart of the Fisheries Bill in this Queen’s Speech.

He was also the Minister who secured cross-party support for moving our canals and waterways from the public to the charitable sector, creating the Canal and River Trust, one of the biggest and best endowed charities in the country.

He made an excellent speech today, in the finest traditions of this House.

Mr Speaker, the Queen’s Speech was brilliantly seconded by my Hon Friend, the Member for Spelthorne.

My Hon Friend the member for Spelthorne is a distinguished political historian and a prolific writer as the opposition pointed out. And he has a particular interest in female Prime Ministers.

Indeed, Members may know that his most recent book profiled the most testing six months for our country’s first female Prime Minister.

It ran to 272 pages. I fear his next book could be somewhat longer.

My Hon Friend is also widely regarded for his good looks.

In fact, the Sunday Telegraph once described him as a Tory “heart-throb”

During his time on University Challenge, I gather he even made it to page 3 of The Sun.

Perhaps most significantly, My Hon Friend is confounding the Daily Mail, who cited the 1995 University Challenge winning team of which my Hon Friend was a Member when arguing that “all too often the brainy winners of the BBC’s flagship programme sink without trace after their moment in the spotlight.”

I could not disagree more.

The House has today seen his talents on full display. He gave a tremendous speech, with flair, substance and wit.

He brings an historian’s wisdom to the challenges and opportunities which our country faces and I have no doubt that he will make a major contribution in the years ahead.

Mr Speaker, let me welcome the Hon Member for Ross, Skye & Lochaber as the new leader of the SNP here in Westminster.

I am also, of course, particularly pleased to welcome to the Conservative benches my thirteen Scottish Conservative colleagues – it is good that my Right Hon Friend the Scottish Secretary will not have to put up with any more jokes about pandas.

Mr Speaker, turnout at the election was higher than in 2015 – including many more younger people – and while on this side of the House we would have preferred more of them to vote for us – more young people going to the ballot box is something we should all welcome.

Mr Speaker, let me also welcome the Rt Hon Member for Islington North back to his place as the Leader of the Opposition.

He fought a spirited campaign and he came a good second – which was better than the pundits predicted and than many of his own MPs hoped.

The election also showed that – as it faces the big challenges of our future – our country is divided: red vs blue, young vs old, leave vs remain.

As I said here last week, the test for all of us is whether we choose to reflect divisions or help the country overcome them.

With humility and resolve, this government will seek to do the latter.

We will do what is in the national interest – and we will work with anyone in any party that is prepared to do the same.

We will work every day to earn the trust and confidence of the British people.

And we will make their priorities our priorities, dealing head-on with the major challenges that our country faces.

And that is what this Queen’s Speech is all about.

Mr Speaker, this Queen’s Speech is about recognising and grasping the opportunities for every community in our country to benefit as we leave the European Union.

It is about delivering the will of the British people with a Brexit deal that works for all parts of our United Kingdom and that commands the greatest possible public support.

It is about building a new, deep and special partnership with our European friends and neighbours – because we are leaving the European Union but we are not leaving Europe.

And it is about seizing this moment of national change to deliver a Plan for a Stronger, Fairer Britain by strengthening our economy, tackling injustice and promoting opportunity and aspiration for all.

Because as I have said many times before, the referendum vote was not just a vote to leave the European Union, it was a profound and justified expression that our country often does not work the way it should for millions of ordinary families.

This Queen’s Speech begins to change that, by putting fairness at the heart of our agenda.

It’s about building a stronger economy – delivering a modern industrial strategy so that all parts of our country and all parts of our society share in the benefits of economic growth.

Investing in the world-leading infrastructure that can unlock growth in our economy and improve the quality of people’s lives across the whole country.

Building a fairer society, increasing the National Living Wage so that people who are on the lowest pay see their wages go up as the economy strengthens.

And also ensuring that every child has access to a good school place, creating a world-class system of technical education, so that all young people have the vital skills they need to do the jobs of the future.

Acting to make markets fairer, by tackling unfair practices wherever they are found.

Tackling the housing crisis that locks so many young people out of the housing market.

We also want to build a more secure United Kingdom, investing in our defence and national security and enhancing our leading role on the world stage.

Strengthening the social, economic and cultural bonds between England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Delivering on our commitment to devolution, by working in co-operation with all the devolved administrations. And working with all the parties of Northern Ireland to support the return of devolved government.

Building a country that is stronger, fairer, safer and more secure for all our children and grandchildren: a country that works for everyone.

That is our ambition. And that is what this Queen’s Speech will help to deliver.

The first part of this Queen’s Speech is of course about Brexit. A Brexit deal that works for every part of the country and that commands the greatest possible public support.

Over 80 per cent of the electorate backed the two major parties – both of whom campaigned on manifestos that said we should honour the democratic decision of the British people.

So this government will respect the will of the British people and see Brexit through.

We will seek to build a wide consensus as we do this and we take bills through this house, which will include a trade bill, a repeal bill, an immigration bill, as have been referred to. And also bills to deal with control of access of control to our waters for fisherman and greater stability to farmers with a new build on agriculture.

If we’re going to grasp the opportunities as we leave the European Union, we are going to need a stronger economy. That’s right, as Conservatives we have always understood this side of the house that sound money and fiscal credibility is the foundation for everything else.

That is why it was right to take the tough decisions we did after the financial crash.

And it paid off. The deficit is down by three quarters; employment up by 2.9 million – and at the same time because of policies like our National Living Wage and taking 4 million of the lowest paid out of income tax altogether – inequality has been reduced to its lowest level in 30 years.

In this Queen’s Speech we will work towards getting the country back living within its means. We will also invest in the digital infrastructure it needs to benefit from the opportunities of new technology.

I’ve said that we will protect rights and protect people at work as we leave the European Union but what we won’t do is we won’t follow the economic prescriptions of the party opposite.

Because there is nothing fair about punitive tax rises that lead to fewer jobs, lower wages and higher prices for ordinary working families. There is nothing fair about racking up debts for our children and grandchildren to pay.

The only government that you can trust to build a stronger and fairer economy is a Conservative government.

Mr Speaker, I want Britain to be a genuine Great Meritocracy – a country where everyone has a fair chance to go as far as their talent and their hard work will take them.

That is about ensuring everyone plays by the same rules. It’s about ensuring every child has access to a good school place, it’s about ensuring that that right to technical education is there, and the measures in the Queen’s Speech will help with that.

But it will also help deal with some of the injustices in our society – the draft domestic violence and abuse legislation provides a statutory definition of this hideous crime and will ensure protective orders are available and victims get the justice they deserve.

This is a measure that I hope will able to command support across the whole of this house. There are many in this this house who have championed the cause of dealing with domestic abuse for many years and I hope they will be able to join us in supporting this legislation.

Mr Speaker, we will also deliver a more secure United Kingdom, because of the choices we are making to prioritise our defence and national security.

Our Armed Forces Bill will give those who put their lives on the line in the service of our country the proper respect they deserve – with more security in the way they live and work.

Our commitment to renew Trident, means this country maintains its continuous at sea nuclear deterrent as the ultimate guarantee of our safety – and a Prime Minister who is prepared to use it.

And we will continue to play a leading role in international efforts to tackle mass migration and climate change, to alleviate poverty and end modern slavery.

Because, Mr Speaker, we have always looked beyond Europe to the wider world and we will continue to do so.

Mr Speaker. Let me end by saying this.

This has been a difficult time for our country. I know there are many parents worried about the kind of world their children are growing up in.

I recognise that and understand it. It has been an unsettling time, which has tested the spirit of our country. But we are a resilient country. Our response to disaster and to acts of terror which take the lives of innocent people must be this: Compassion. Unity. Resolve.

For we are a great nation, and a great people. We have been through, and survived, the toughest of times before. And we thrived. Once again we can, and will, grow stronger from the challenges we face today.

The Queen’s speech on its own will not solve every challenge our country faces. Not every problem can be solved by an Act of Parliament. But it is a step forward to building a more compassionate, more united, and more confident nation.

That is what this government will aim to achieve – and it’s what this Queens speech will help deliver.

And I commend this Queen’s Speech to the House.

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The Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said: I welcome the appointment of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whom I met during my visit to the region last year, as Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia. The UK has a longstan… read more

Thank you Mr President.

Let me join others in welcoming Special Representative Yamamoto back to the Council. At the outset I’d like to reiterate the UK’s full support for him and for the vital work of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan.

Sadly, as he and the Ambassador from Afghanistan have made clear, these are trying times for Afghanistan. The horrific truck bomb three weeks ago in Kabul was a stark reminder of the threat that ordinary Afghans face as they go about their daily, peaceful lives.

It’s a threat that we read about, that we watch on the news, or hear about in this Chamber. And yet, the proximity of the attack to the British Embassy and other diplomatic missions in Kabul really brought home to us the barbarity of those who seek to terrorise Afghanistan. And sadly, Mr President, it was once again the innocent Afghan men, women and children who bore the terrible toll of this attack.

In response to this horrific tide of violence, the United Kingdom stands in solidarity with the people, the government and the armed forces of Afghanistan. We stand in solidarity, knowing what it means to endure terror in our streets, knowing what it means to stand up to those who seek to divide us.

And whether in the streets of Kabul, or of Manchester or London, our message must be clear and unwavering; enough is enough. These attacks must come to an end. All support to those who commit such terrible acts must come to an end.

For Afghanistan, this means the region working together to create the conditions for a more stable future for Afghanistan. It means continuing to prioritise an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process; one that leads to a political settlement that ends the violence.

It means acknowledging the successes the Afghan government has made in such challenging circumstances. And it means Afghans working together to protect these gains in the face of such huge challenges.

Because, Mr President, Afghanistan needs to be united now more than ever. Afghanistan needs to be looking to the future in hope, not in fear. The people of Afghanistan need to feel they have a stake in that future.

We believe that holding parliamentary elections, based on a credible and realistic timeline, would be an important step towards creating that stake, towards creating broader political inclusion. The setting of a date would be good news and should act as a catalyst for the necessary reforms to be undertaken and processes to be put in place with due speed to ensure that elections are free, fair and transparent.

We welcome President Ghani’s work to reshape and reenergise his government’s efforts in pursuit of peace. As the tragic events in Kabul remind us, now is the time for action – for implementation of the structures and the processes that will bring progress on this daunting but essential issue.

Afghans from across the country, its ethnic groups, and its socio-economic divides have a stake in this process and need to be embraced and included in pursuit of a national consensus on peace. We encourage meaningful dialogue with all sections of society including women and girls.

In all this the UK believes the UN has a crucial role to play; whether by helping ensure the rights of Afghan people are protected and upheld or by supporting the Kabul Process and its vital work building a regional consensus on peace. I want to thank Special Representative Yamamoto for his role in facilitating the launch of the Kabul Process earlier this month. This was the first step in a long journey that will need to emphasise both the security and the political tracks, and which will require energy and commitment from all of us to sustain, including from the United Nations.

As such, we look forward to the outcome of the strategic review of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. UNAMA is at the heart of the international community’s work on Afghanistan. It is more important now than ever that the mission is properly configured and empowered to deliver the maximum effect on the issues that are so crucial for Afghanistan’s future, whether its efforts to support the government’s pursuit of peace or its work to uphold the human rights of the people of Afghanistan.

Thank you.

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I am pleased to welcome the appointment of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman as the Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia.

The relationship between Saudi Arabia and the UK is strong and historic, and we continue to work closely together in a range of areas.

Our security and intelligence cooperation is vital as we tackle the shared threat of terrorism and our growing trade and investment ties are important for the prosperity of all our citizens.

Britain remains a firm supporter of Saudi Arabia’s ambitious reform agenda ‘Vision 2030’ which is essential for Saudi Arabia’s long-term stability and success.

I look forward to working with Prince Mohammed bin Salman to deepen our close bilateral ties in the years ahead, building on the constructive meetings we had in Saudi Arabia earlier this year.

I also pay tribute to the work of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Naif, who has played a central role in our counter-terrorism collaboration and been a firm friend of the UK for many years.

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Speaking on Wednesday 21 June 2017 at the Guildhall, London, alongside David Johnston, Chief Executive of the Social Mobility Foundation, and Alan Milburn, Chair of the Social Mobility Commission, at an event marking the publication of Social Mobility Employer Index, Secretary of State for Education Justine Greening said:

Thank you very much Alan [Milburn – Chair of the Social Mobility Commission] and to both of you for doing what I think is a very important piece of work.

Clearly our country does face many challenges but we will meet them by building up our people together.

I grew up in a working class family, I was one of those working-class kids.

There were two things I really believed in from the word go.

One was a fundamental fairness in the link between effort and reward and wanting to understand that if I was willing to put that time in, put the persistence in, that I would be able to see some results for that.

The other thing I believed in was a meritocracy.

Because I think talent is spread evenly throughout our country, throughout our communities; and fundamentally our country would be better the more we can unlock all of that.

When you put those things together, a strong link between effort and reward, a real meritocracy, then you have empowered people.

And when you have empowered people you have an empowered country.

And I think when you’ve got empowered people you have stronger productivity and that’s something that all of the organisations that are part of this Index today have fundamentally understood.

It’s a virtuous circle in the end.

I happen to think, as well, that this isn’t just the smart thing to do.

It’s not just about a business case for companies or for organisations.

It is the right thing to do.

A more socially mobile Britain will be a happier place. Communities will be stronger when we achieve that.

I think we can change the internal plumbing of our country to make it more socially mobile.

We don’t have to accept where our country has come from and where it is today and see that as the only course that we can take in the future.

But that’s going to be up to all of us to make the future different from the past and from where we are now.

We do need to recognise that there are a myriad of barriers – some of them big but some of them small – that stack up against people who are starting perhaps from further behind.

People who, when we talk about a level playing field, are the ones furthest away from having it.

I certainly remember from my own childhood growing up in Rotherham it was a very difficult time, actually.

Many of the children growing up in that town, including myself, saw our parents lose their jobs and you felt like you were a long way from seeing opportunity on your doorstep.

This steady realisation as quite a young child for me, that to get opportunity I was going to have to work a long time, and very hard, just to get myself into a position to be able to start to have some opportunities.

I knew also that the beginning of that was education and probably being able to go university.

Which is why the fact that so many more disadvantaged children are now getting into university for the first time, why people like me back in the 80s and 90s are no longer the norm and actually it’s pretty normal for people from those backgrounds to get to university now, why that’s so important.

But it’s clear that it’s not just government, it’s not just education that plays a role in driving social mobility.

I like to think that I’ve got the best job in government and I think that it’s the most important job because it’s the one that helps people develop our country’s human capital.

But what we want to see are companies and organisations in our country using and developing that further when those people become adults and get into the workplace.

We don’t want people to just be going into jobs.

We want them to be going into careers where they can continue to develop themselves and their ideas and their potential throughout their whole life, not just at the beginning of it.

That’s where business comes in.

That’s also where communities and civil society comes in.

The launch of this Index today is about starting to put some numbers and evidence around how we can do that systematically and at scale.

I’d like to congratulate all of the organisations that are in this first Index and achieving a score.

Because you are showcasing what some of that best practice, that can take very different forms, can look like.

It will be the evidence that you are gathering that helps other organisations get further and faster over the coming months and years.

Some of you are doing blind recruitment on CVs.

Some of you are looking at different ways of assessing candidates when they present for job interviews.

I think that some of the work that’s been done in my own profession of accountancy in widening the routes of people into that profession in particular have really helped open it up to a brand new generation of different sorts of people – and all for the better.

Alan talked about how it’s not just about some of these crunchy changes we can make on process, it’s all about changing attitudes.

Again, I can draw on my own experience of being confronted with receiving the sharp end of unconscious bias.

I remember interviewing to go into an investment bank after I became qualified at PwC – and it’s fantastic to see PwC in this Index.

Part of that time spent at that company was being taken out to lunch.

I did the interview and the interview was fine and I got taken out to lunch by 2 of the junior mangers in this investment bank.

We sat down in a little Italian restaurant and they handed out the menu and the waitress came to take our order.

I remember trying to work out whether I should order the meal in Italian, which was the prime name in this menu alongside each meal, or whether I should read the English translation underneath.

In a split second I decided that I’m not a pompous person, I thought I’d just read the English.

And I could tell with the body language that I’d just failed a test, because I was meant to have had the confidence, apparently, to have just said it in Italian.

Now it wasn’t that I didn’t have confidence, I absolutely had lots of confidence as a person but I just had a different attitude to how I felt it was appropriate to behave.

And frankly, did it really matter either way?

Probably not, anyway.

But the point is you had a sense of it being part of a test.

And I had a sense of it being a test I failed not because I wasn’t going to do a great job at that company but just because I came from a different place and had a different attitude to that situation.

These are the small things that add up to big differences in terms of whether or not, in the end, people get opportunities.

I should say the great news is that company is also in this Index today, so again I think that’s fantastic progress.

There are real benefits for all of the organisations in today’s Index. I think they will simply do better.

There is evidence that says that companies that are more diverse, that crack these issues of social mobility, do better.

Because when they are taking decisions they are having broader discussions, they consider a variety of different things from different angles, and the decisions they take are better, the outcomes they achieve will be better.

And, actually Alan is right that doing this isn’t always easy but there are some things that companies did that scored in this Index that are straightforward and that can actually be done tomorrow, if organisations and businesses want to do that.

That’s what we want to see.

We want to see people getting on with change that removes the barriers that are holding some of our most talented youngsters back.

It doesn’t always cost a penny.

It’s just about changing how we approach these issues, changing how you approach processes, changing how you then develop people when they’re in your companies.

It’s also about changing hearts and minds.

I think if all organisations were able to do this, if they were all able to have that business case that social mobility brings, the advantages from it, it would be one of the biggest rocket boosters that we could put under the UK economy in coming years.

And it would be one of the biggest advantages the UK could have globally as an economy in the coming years, if we were to systematically make more out of our human capital than other countries around the world.

That’s why it’s so important.

This Index also matters not just because it starts to give us the evidence – and I love the evidence to help us develop policy – it gives us the transparency as well to see who’s doing what.

And I want to increasingly use these sorts of evidence bases to help us drive government policy.

We looked very closely at the work that the Social Mobility Commission did in relation to place; the communities and parts of our country where things were most stacked against young people doing the best for themselves.

We fundamentally took that as our starting point for where we would set up our Opportunity Areas.

I want us to look equally hard across Government and how we can see these companies as exemplars and how we can work to help make sure that what they are learning and what they are demonstrating is spread far more broadly, far more widely and far faster across our whole country.

I know that all of this means working in partnership, and I really do hope that, as Alan said, we can start to achieve a true, meaningful cross-party consensus on driving forward on social mobility.

Not just a debate where we recognise where we agree on this, but a debate that goes beyond that to say ‘well what are we going to do about it?’

A debate that focuses on the 80% that we can agree on, rather than the 20% that we don’t agree on, that we seem to spend our time dysfunctionally arguing about instead of getting on with things that we can make progress on instead.

That’s what I want to see happen as a change in Parliament.

We all need to realise that we will only move forward on social mobility and only make a change on it if we can set aside some of the areas where we don’t quite see eye-to-eye but instead focus on the areas where we absolutely have common ground and then work together, tirelessly and persistently, on that – whether it’s the government, in politics, or whether in our communities, whether in schools, in businesses, in civil society.

I think we can change things in our country but it is going to take a mammoth effort of people coming together and working together and making this a true movement, as Alan said.

The path to success isn’t going to be glamourous.

No one thing is going to be that silver bullet that changes everything overnight.

It’s going to be thousands, probably hundreds of thousands, possibly even millions of people doing things differently in their own lives, in the sphere of influence that they’ve got in their own organisations, day to day.

It’s as much as anything a change of heart in our country that we need to really drive social mobility.

We need people who recognise that they already have opportunity to understand that they too absolutely have to play a role in making sure that those who do not now get it as well.

That’s our task, and I think that’s the task also of British business, the ultimate opportunity-giver in our country.

It may not be glamourous but if we can make progress on this it will be transformational.

Because I believe that using all of the talents of people in our country is no longer an optional extra in Brexit Britain. It’s absolutely essential.

And I think the sooner that we can win this argument to put social mobility right at the heart of everyone’s agenda – including in government, in Parliament – the better.

And I think the more united, fundamentally, our country will be.

We do want a positive movement for change on social mobility. And it should be hope and social mobility that is the real antidote to today’s ‘day of rage’.

Thank you.

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