MP's maiden speech highlights 'empowerment' of Rother Valley residents

Rother Valley's first Conservative MP used his maiden speech in Parliament to highlight the ‘empowerment’ his constituents felt at turning the seat blue for the first time in 101 years.
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Previously the seat was held by Labour for it’s entire 101 years; existence, but turned blue for the first time in December, when Alexander Stafford was elected.

During his maiden speech, Mr Stafford said: “The men and women of Rother Valley do not feel left behind – instead they feel empowered. Rather than being told what their lives are going to be like, or should be like, we have chosen a different path. A path where we will no longer be taken for granted – where our voices and our votes do matter.”

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In his speech, Mr Stafford highlighted the values of ‘hard work, law and order, family and Christian morals’ he and his constituents share.

He said: “You will never find a more industrious, hard-working, family loving, patriotic people than those across Rother Valley. We are rightly proud of our history, heritage and our culture. We are not a people to tear things down – we would rather raise them up.

“What matters in this House is not just the pomp and splendour, although these traditions are important, but the people we represent, the beating heart of our nation who put us here.

“I will always be true to the people of Rother Valley, as I know they will always be true to Britain.”

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“My predecessor Kevin Barron, formerly ‘Red Kev’ as he was known and more recently, Sir Kevin, was first elected four years before I was born and, although I’m sure we would disagree on many things, his love for our area and championing of anti-smoking is to be applauded.

"But one thing that surely separates me from my predecessors is the collieries. Whereas all of them had close ties to the mining community, either working in or for those that did, mine are more in the steel community – also key to our local prosperity. Times have changed and, as times have changed, so have the people of Rother Valley.

“We look to a better, brighter future for our children and our children’s children."

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