In front of a packed House of Commons and TV cameras, Labour MP for Brent South and TMP fan, Dawn Butler, was given the honour of seconding the Queen’s Speech last week.

Dawn spoke about her pride in Brent and its many wonders including Dollis Hill House, the Swaminaryan Temple, Wembley Mosque, the house where Bob Marley used to live and Wembley Stadium.  Dawn said, “although I may have some of the poorest wards in the country, I can testify that my constituency is full of richness, full of ordinary people who achieve extraordinary things.”

As Vice Chair of the Labour Party for Youth, Dawn’s speech focused on the benefits for young people in the Government’s programme.  Under the Government’s proposals young people will stay in education or training until age 18, and they will be provided with new opportunities to undertake apprenticeships.

Dawn spoke about the need to stop demonising young people and to celebrate their achievements, and appealed to young people to become active in politics:

“if anybody hearing our speeches today or reading about them tomorrow questions whether politics works, whether it matters, I say to them: cynicism didn’t create the welfare state. Indifference didn’t introduce the minimum wage or bring peace to Northern Ireland. Apathy didn’t end debt slavery for world’s poorest people or give pensioners dignity in their retirement…that is the difference politics can make.”

Dawn also paid tribute to Labour’s record in lifting children out of poverty in Brent and the need to continue recognising Brent’s aspirations and realising the talents of all of Brent’s people.  She said,

“we must realise the talent of all our young people and this extra training will help achieve that important goal. I also welcome the new proposals for improved youth facilities across the country.”

The Government’s programme will include meeting people’s aspirations for better housing, healthcare and children’s services and for a cleaner environment. The Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, responded to Dawn’s speech by saying: 

“Her popularity and success is built on her effectiveness as an organiser and as a constituency MP, and not least on her passion, which she talked about today, for building better youth facilities for teenagers.”

“I believe that she has that rare gift of empathy and approachability that makes politics more accessible and attractive to the young people whom she talked about. Her very success, not only here today but in her career, explains why we must continue in the ongoing struggle to make this House truly reflect all the people whom we represent.”