I wish to start by thanking my hon. Friend the Member for Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch (Katrina Murray) on her witty and passionate speech. Her commitment to public service and her drive to improve the lives of her constituents shine through. I would also like to compliment all those who have given their maiden speech today. The standard has been exceptional. What an honour it is to speak after so many inspiring colleagues, and what an honour it is to give my first speech in this Chamber during a debate on the future of our railways. So many of my constituents depend on Mill Hill Broadway and Hendon stations, and this Bill, bringing the railways back into public ownership, placing passengers at the heart of our rail system and ensuring value for money for the taxpayer, will make a real difference to them. Getting the management of our railways and the numbers underpinning them on a sound footing is crucial.
5.45 pm
I think I can justifiably claim to have a strong personal understanding of just how important it is to get your numbers exactly right, because, Madam Chair, if you ask me to think of a number, I do not need to ponder long. My lucky number is 15. Why? Because 15 is the size of my majority. I have the honour of holding the smallest majority in Parliament. It reminds me every day who sent me here, who I serve in this place, how grateful I am to the people who voted for me and how life turns on the very smallest of margins. So I pledge now to serve the people of Hendon, no matter how they voted, with every fibre of my being.
Small margins run as a theme in our family. 2024 is the 80th anniversary of my father being smuggled out of the Munkács ghetto in what is today Ukraine. In April 1944, my infant father was herded, along with the rest of the Jewish population of the town and surrounding countryside, into the crowded, squalid ghetto, with thousands jammed into barely more than a handful of city blocks. But on 5 May 1944, a Christian woman pretending to be his mother spirited him out, just days before over 28,000 people— including, unfortunately, many members of my own family—were put on trains to Auschwitz, never to return. Small margins, Madam Chair; small margins and the kindness of strangers.
As a child refugee, my father landed in London and was given great opportunities by this great country. His story inspires me every day and reminds me of the importance of compassion, courage and the bonds that connect us all. As I talk to people in Hendon, I hear so
many similar stories—stories of refuge and rebirth, of contribution and belonging. Our Jewish community; our Somali community; our Afghan community; our Iranian community; our Tamil community; those who have recently arrived from Hong Kong; our Nepalese community, many of whom served so valiantly in the Gurkha regiment; our Filipino community, who do so much for the NHS; our Gujarati community—the list goes on. There are so many wonderful communities enriching this, the greatest of cities.
Hendon, in its diversity, represents what this country can be at its very best. It brings together not just different communities, but different places, from Burnt Oak to West Hendon, from Colindale to Edgware, from Mill Hill to Hendon, all stitched together by the backbone of the Northern line.
There are our vibrant mosques, synagogues, temples and churches; community organisations like the Centre of Excellence in Grahame Park; exceptional charities like GIFT and Kisharon in Hendon; the Royal British Legion in Edgware; groups like Friends of the Welsh Harp in West Hendon. We are blessed with organisations and inspiring people who work hard every single day to make our community a better place and help others.
We are the site of the first Tesco shop and of London’s first airport; home of Saracens rugby club and the RAF Museum; one of the epicentres of the fight against covid with the Health Security Agency labs; and home of the beautiful Welsh Harp and of sweeping views from Mill Hill.
What a privilege it is to represent such a place. But small margins are never far from the surface. Too many households in our community struggle to get by, their ability to cope resting on the finest of margins, just one pay cheque away from catastrophe. More than a third of children in Hendon are growing up poor after housing costs. In places like Colindale and Burnt Oak, the figure is significantly higher. That must change. Tackling this unfairness and disadvantage is what motivates me to be here. It is why I am determined to use my experience from many years working in business and from my time in Government at the Treasury, the Home Office and the Prime Minister’s strategy unit, to bring change and deliver for the people of Hendon.
I will never forget those who went before me as Members for Hendon. I want to pay tribute to Dr Matthew Offord, who represented Hendon for 14 years. I am grateful for his work on behalf of residents and for his advocacy, as chair of the APPG on explosive threats, for a landmine-free world. I thank Andrew Dismore, who was the personification of a dedicated constituency MP. Even today, 14 years after he left office, residents still talk of him. The impact he made was immense.
There is someone else I would like to mention, a giant of our politics, someone who touched the lives of millions, and whom I was privileged to serve as an advisor at the Treasury: Alistair Darling. If I can summon up just a small portion of his decency, his resolution in crisis, his clarity in chaos and his composure when so many were losing their heads, not to mention his Sahara-dry wit, I will be doing very well indeed. He embodied our mantra of country first, party second, and we miss him. I was also lucky to work with Charles Clarke when he was Home Secretary in the aftermath of the terrible 7/7 attacks in our capital. He showed what strength and determination looks like on those darkest of days.
Ms Ghani, you may have detected by now that I have a slight stammer. As a child, I could not even say my own name some days. Mind you, there are still people who have that trouble today—it is not their fault; it is part-Ashkenazi, part-Sephardi and wholly unpronounceable. But I know that I am not alone in overcoming a stammer: Bevan had one and overcame it by reciting the poetry of William Morris. In my case it was not poetry but the NHS that came to the rescue. Dedicated NHS speech therapists worked with me for years, which means that I can talk to you—that I could stand up in class, stand for Parliament and be here today. They gave me my voice so I can now give voice to others, and I am determined to pay that forward by fighting for world-class NHS speech therapy for those who need it—those on the Treasury Bench should take note.
We are all beyond lucky to be on these Benches, no matter how we got here and whether our majorities are 15 or 15,000. I hope that we all remember why we are here: to serve. We are here to serve our constituents, serve our communities and serve our country, to remain true to our principles and conscience, and to avoid being dazzled by the theatre of this place or tempted by its theatrics. I believe that politics is ultimately about the practical work of changing people’s lives for the better, helping others, and serving our community and the common good. Especially at a time when we have seen record numbers of antisemitic incidents and a surge in Islamophobic attacks, it is about coming together and acting with purpose to confront hatred and make sure that all people in our community can feel safe.
When I think of our duty of service, I think of the woman who took my father from the ghetto and saved his life. I see her face every day in the people I seek to serve. I reflect on the small margins that make big differences and how what we say and how we act impacts on the lives of others. Whether it is uniting to tackle hate or building bridges across communities and across this House, I pledge to honour her example, reflect that spirit of service in everything I do, and work hard every day to serve the people of our country and the people of Hendon.