I am delighted, not ashamed, to steal this article

As you all know, kleptocracy runs rife on this site but on this occasion I am positively proud to nick this from The Coffee House in its entirety.  It is - and don't yawn and fidget! - an edited version of a maiden speech by a new Member of Parliament, Ms. Kemi Badenoch, member for Saffron Walden.  It speaks for itself, or perhaps for herself, and in its way it is as inspiring as anything dear old 'Winnie' ever produced:

I am often inexplicably mistaken for a member of the Labour Party. I can’t think why. I’m a Conservative – to all intents and purposes a first-generation immigrant. Born in Wimbledon, yes, but I grew up in Nigeria. I chose to make the United Kingdom my home. Growing up in Nigeria I saw real poverty and experienced it. Going without electricity, doing my homework by candlelight because the state electricity board could not provide power. Fetching water a mile away in heavy, rusty buckets because the nationalised water could not get water to flow from the taps. Unlike many colleagues born after 1980, I was unlucky enough to live under socialist policies. It’s not something I’d wish on anyone, and that’s just one of the reasons that I am a Conservative.

As a woman of African origin, I also believe there is a lot Africa can teach us. Sound money is not just a catchy phrase: the lesson of Zimbabwe is salient for us today. Money cannot be printed and redistribution cannot be successful without first creating wealth. Edmund Burke said that society is a contract between the dead, the living and those yet to be born. I say to colleagues who are wavering on tackling the debt and the deficit: hold your nerve. This is part of the contract that we owe our descendants. To leave our children carrying the burdens of our debt and excesses is morally wrong.

There are few countries in the world where you can go, in one generation, from immigrant to parliamentarian. Michael Howard spoke of the “British dream”: people choosing this country because of its tolerance and opportunity. It is a land where Nigerian girl can move here, aged 16, be accepted as British and have the great honour of representing Saffron Walden.

Yet there are some in this country, and even in this chamber, who seek to denigrate the traditions of this parliament – portraying this house as a bastion of privilege of class that “reeks of the establishment”. It is no coincidence that those who seek to undermine the institutions of this island – parliament, monarchy, church and family – also propagate the worldview that sees Britain and the values that we hold dear as a force for bad in the world.

Growing up in Nigeria, my view was rather different. The UK was a beacon, a shining light, a promise of a better life. Often, we hear the radical reformer John Bright misquoted to the effect that the House of Commons is the mother of all parliaments. What he actually said was that this country is the mother of all parliaments. Our political institutions may not always be held in high esteem, but I believe that politics is a mirror held up to society. Yes, it can sometimes be unedifying. Yes, we see human weakness on display – but it also embodies much that is great in our country. When I walk down these corridors and stand in this chamber, once graced by my heroes Winston Churchill, Airey Neave and Margaret Thatcher – I am filled by nothing but awe, respect and pride for all that it stands for.

As Woody Allen said about sex: if it’s not messy, you’re not doing it right. Madame Deputy Speaker, the same is true for democracy. It’s not always predictable, its results are not always elegant, it can throw up results that no one expected. But we adjust. The British parliament always has adjusted and that is why it’s the oldest in the world: it takes its lead from the British people.

We face historic challenges. People are rightly concerned about what Brexit will mean for this country, their jobs and their families. But I do not believe that winter is coming.

I believe that the vote for Brexit is the greatest-ever vote of confidence in the project of the United Kingdom. That vision of a ‘global Britain’ that the minister referred to is a project that, as a young African girl, I dreamed of becoming part of. As a British woman I now have the great honour of delivering that project for my constituents in the greatest parliament on earth.

Of course, as I have laid down elsewhere, 'The Moggman' must be the next leader of the Conservative party but after him, bring on Ms. Badenoch!

 

 

Comments

[Timbo]

I would vote for her!

[David Duff]

Me, too!

[Michael F Adams]

I would, too, if not for the complication of that citizenship thing. A pity, indeed, that she can't run for President. Not old enough, and actually admits to being born in Africa.

[Peter G]

Not bad for a rookie speech, although I suspect she does not know OFWAT she speaks when it comes to water and power distribution systems. To be fair most ideologically disposed politicians don't generally understand the nuts and bolts of engineering systems. Or the necessity of government regulated monopolies for such, whether goverment itself operates them or not.

[David Duff]

For God's sake, Peter, don't tell them over at Carpenter's place that I am supporting a black woman, it will ruin my reputation!

[Peter G]

David, does she know that she is precisely the kind of poor riff raff from third world countries that the Brexiters want to keep out of Britain? She literally and inescapably casts herself as an economic refugee. So now you are all now in favor of accepting such people, if, as she said she herself did, she so chooses? Or is she now ennobled by the fact that she supports keeping other people like herself out? Interesting question is it not? Don't worry about your self crafted reputation at Carpenter's, I am sure it is safe.

By the way didn't you like my OFWAT pun? It is easily googled. And also did you manage to figure out where your military War Colleges are yet, where staff officers are trained? Subtle hint: not Sandhurst.

[TheBigHenry]

Ditto what Michael said @Michael F Adams | Thursday, 20 July 2017 at 15:22

[Timbo]

Living on the sharp end of unreliable utilities supplies I'm sure gave her a much more in depth appreciation of the situation than some of us who just take for granted that the electricity works at the flick of a switch.

[Timbo]

She was born in Wimbledon, not Africa.

[TheBigHenry]

PG,

"David, does she know that she is precisely the kind of poor riff raff from third world countries that the Brexiters want to keep out of Britain?"

That is a precisely false implied assertion.

[Backofanenvelope]

I am always impressed by these people who know exactly what Brexiters think.

[David Duff]

But ... but ... BOE, don't you realise that Peter knows absolutely everything about everything!

[Peter G]

You are right Henry, not all of them do. But plenty are nice enough to tell us and the lady in question fits the bill of precisely who they say they don't want, an economic refugee from a third world country. I find it an interesting question myself. Who do you let into your country? The ones you somehow know are guaranteed to succeed? Or the ones who promise to vote for the political party you like? The right religion? The right color? If these things don't matter than why not let them in?

[Bob]

David, it seems you and Carpenter might have Edmund Burke in common. Carpenter thinks Burke's ideas are a historic pinnacle of political reasoning even if they're largely incompatible with human nature. You admire an admirer of Burke but also entertain some of the more unhinged ideas of the contemporary right. Maybe the axes you grind aren't so dissimilar.

[Backofanenvelope]

Personally I think the lady is the sort of person desperately needed in Nigeria.

[TheBigHenry]

Peter,

Thank for your honesty.

Speaking as a former immigrant to the United States, I will gladly share with you my feelings about immigration to the United States. I do not presume to know what might be a reasonable immigration policy for any other sovereign nation. The only aspect of any nation's immigration policy, however, that I believe must be respected is that it be in accordance with the laws of that sovereign nation.

My own immigration at age seven (along with that of my parents') was, IMHO, illustrative of what a legal immigration policy should provide for:

1. While we were in a displaced persons (DP) camp in the American Occupation (AOZ) of West Germany, we (i.e., my parents) applied to the American authorities for immigration to the United States, with the sworn intent to become naturalized American citizens at the first opportunity after assimilating to the American way of life.


2. After the American authorities received sworn testimony from my parents (along with whatever meager documentation we had available as survivors of the Holocaust), we were recorded as legal applicants for immigration.


3. We remained in the DP camps (we had to move between several of them) until our turn came up. It took over a year before that happened.


4. When we arrived in America in an American Army troop ship (these were the ships that were used by the United States to transport immigrants in the late 1940s), we received our official Green Cards. These ID cards represented our intent to become naturalized citizens.


5. A few months after the minimum five-year waiting period, my parents took the requisite citizenship test (in Mineola Courthouse, Mineola, Long Island, New York). They passed the test and became Naturalized Citizens of the United States.


6. Since I was still a minor at that time (I was 13), I didn't need to take a citizenship test (though I am pretty sure I would have passed it with flying colors). I became a Naturalized Citizen of the United States (automatically and on the same date as my parents) by derivation from my parents' own citizenship.

I invite you to read a vignette about the day of my American Citizenship here.

[Loz]

She seems to have a blind spot for what life was like in Blighty in the 1970's. Maybe she wasn't here then.

The socialism, the statism, the authoritarianism, the racism, being bailed out by the IMF, the lights going off due to socialism, likewise the trains.

Kinda like home-from-home for her, really.

With Maggie long dead, and despised by peeps and pols alike as the British "Hitler", and her only legacy the single market Brexitized, whose rules and regs have held back the deluge of socialism and statism that the Brit peeps and pols have been gagging to unleash upon themselves for 4 decades, she'll be wondering if she'd ever left Africa soon enough.

SoD

[Bob]

"Free" markets don't always keep the lights on either:

"California had an installed generating capacity of 45 GW. At the time of the blackouts, demand was 28 GW. A demand supply gap was created by energy companies, mainly Enron, to create an artificial shortage. Energy traders took power plants offline for maintenance in days of peak demand to increase the price. Traders were thus able to sell power at premium prices, sometimes up to a factor of 20 times its normal value."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_electricity_crisis

[Peter G]

She certainly has an interesting biography. You'd almost get the impression she had personal experience hauling water in buckets. But somehow with both parents being doctors I doubt that. Am I surprised she chose to live in Britain. Not in the least. Not much of a choice though since as near as I can tell birthright citizenship applies. What I find curious though is her attribution of Nigeria's status as a seriously screwed up place to socialism. Tribalism certainly, they have hundreds. But socialism? When did they try that? For five minutes between coups. I think you could wait a long long time for the private sector to build a water distribution system for a municipal population. The obvious reason for that is that only governments have the authority to compel people to hook up to such a system, and pay for it, as they must or it couldn't be financed. I think it might have a good deal more with poverty than socialism. They seem to have mighty efficient water, power and sewage systems in those nasty socialist European states. Particularly the northern ones.

[Hank]

Big Henry

A little belated perhaps but CONGRATUALTIONS!

[Hank]

Big Henry

A little belated perhaps but CONGRATUALTIONS!

[Hank]

David

Do you think she might want to represent NE Illinois in the US Congress.

[TheBigHenry]

Thank you, Hank.

[Loz]

Bob,

"A demand supply gap was created by energy companies, mainly Enron, to create and artificial shortage"

So it wasn't a "free" market then, was it!

C'mon Buddy, gotta lift your game a bit, I mean contradicting your own assertion in the same paragraph is usually the Gaffer's job. Even Peter G waits a comment or two before a selfie.

SoD

[Bob]

SoD,

Maybe it's not common in British writing, but the word "free" is in scare quotes for a reason. There is no such thing as a free market and there never has been. The theoretical concept is libertarian wishful thinking and a disingenuous sell phrase for conservatives. If I've contradicted myself some other way please explain, or name a free market if you can.

[Bob]

SoD,

Here's a representation of corporate freedom that's fairly accurate (the video is in two parts):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSO9OFJNMBA

[mike fowle]

Great speech.

[Loz]

Bob,

And here's a representation of state authoritarianism that's as accurate as it's possible to be - because it isn't a 70's comedy sketch, although it could have been, it actually happened ...

https://www.theguardian.com/science/political-science/2017/jul/21/concorde-was-the-flying-brexit-a-different-era-but-the-same-mistakes

SoD

[Bob]

SoD,

What did the Concorde have to do with authoritarianism? The business model was flawed and it had technical problems, but its retirement had more to do with the flight 4590 disaster, which was actually caused by a DC-10 losing a part on a runway, objections to its noisy operation, and security problems in the US after 9/11/2001.

The US B1 Bomber was an even bigger supersonic turkey. Wikipedia kindly claims the thing was built "as an interim measure", but I worked in aerospace at the time and word was it was funded by the Reagan administration as payback for supporting his presidential run. I personally knew the B2 was in the works at the time and the B1 was already obsolete. France and Britain aren't alone in making bad political decisions based on corporate influence.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockwell_B-1_Lancer