Speech
As part of a session in the House of Commons, local MP, John Lamont, paid tribute to Britain’s longest serving monarch.
On Friday and Saturday, Parliament sat for a historic session to mark the death of Her Majesty The Queen.
Mr Lamont, who represents the Borders, reminisced about the times The Queen had visited the Borders, as well as when he had met her personally.
During the speech, he said, “I treasure memories of two of Her late Majesty’s most recent visits to the Scottish Borders. In 2009, she came to the seaside town of Eyemouth in Berwickshire, and on 9 September 2015, seven years ago today, she opened the Borders Railway.”
Mr Lamont went on to say, “A thrill of excitement, like an electric pulse, ran through the crowd when they saw Her late Majesty. There was joy, disbelief and awe at seeing a global icon—the face on every coin and stamp—in the flesh; she was a smiling and radiant lady, here to visit them in their community.”
Remembering her stoicism during dark times in British history, John Lamont added, “In good times and bad, we have always looked to the Queen for guidance and leadership, and were never left wanting.”
He concluded by saying, “In years to come, those children who waved flags in the Scottish Borders will tell their grandchildren of the day The Queen came to town. Each of them, each of us here and all our constituents will forever be able to say with pride, We are Elizabethans.”
Mr Lamont then finished his speech by proclaiming, “God save The King.”
Laying of flowers
On Saturday morning, John Lamont MP, laid a bouquet of flowers at Buckingham Palace in memory of Her Majesty The Queen.
The inscription read:
“Thank you for your life of service, dedication, and duty to our nation.
From the people of the Scottish Borders.”
He was joined by Rt Hon David Mundell MP who also laid flowers on behalf of local residents.
Parliamentary Evensong
On Sunday 11th September, John Lamont MP attended Evensong in St Margaret’s Church next to Westminster Abbey.
The 12th Century church is often referred to as ‘the parish church of the House of Commons’.
The service was arranged by the Speaker of the House of Commons and the Lord Speaker to give parliamentarians and parliamentary staff the opportunity to pause and reflect on the life of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Presentation of Addresses
This morning, Monday 12th September, MPs and Lords presented His Majesty King Charles III with addresses from both Houses of Parliament in Westminster Hall.
Mr Lamont was one of many hundreds of parliamentarians who attended the ceremony and welcomed The King to Parliament for the first time.]
John Lamont speech in the House of Commons
I, too, want to reflect on the immense loss that we in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth have sustained with the passing of Her late Majesty the Queen. Like every other Member of this House, I can say with pride that the Queen knew well my constituency, in the Scottish Borders; she visited it many times in her seven decades of service as our sovereign.
I treasure memories of two of Her late Majesty’s most recent visits to the Scottish Borders. In 2009, she came to the seaside town of Eyemouth in Berwickshire, and on 9 September 2015, seven years ago today, she opened the Borders railway. That was the day on which she became the longest-serving monarch in our history. On both of those days, the crowds were large—probably much larger than the organisers expected. I remember the enormous anticipation steadily building as the time for her arrival approached. There were local residents there of all ages and backgrounds. A thrill of excitement, like an electric pulse, ran through the crowd when they saw Her late Majesty. There was joy, disbelief and awe at seeing a global icon—the face on every coin and stamp—in the flesh; she was a smiling and radiant lady, here to visit them in their community. Those memories will last a lifetime.
As a Member of the Scottish Parliament for a decade, I had the privilege of meeting Her late Majesty in more informal settings. After each election, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh would host a reception at the palace of Holyroodhouse for the newly elected MSPs. As they moved around the room, the Queen clockwise and the Duke of Edinburgh anti-clockwise, there was a real sense of anticipation—the same as we experienced when she visited the Borders. It was amusing to see how some of my new MSP colleagues, who may not have been the most instinctive royalists, were suddenly reduced to a bag of nerves, but as the Queen joined our group, we were all immediately put at ease by her twinkly eyes and warmth. After brief pleasantries, she launched into detailed and informed questions about our respective constituencies. Given that there were 129 MSPs plus various other guests, the fact that she was able to remember such detailed knowledge was quite remarkable, but this was her kingdom and had been for longer than most of us had been alive.
The Queen was always fully prepared for whatever her duty demanded of her. She never spared herself, as we saw this week, when she fulfilled her last act of service: appointing my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister. In good times and bad, we have always looked to the Queen for guidance and leadership, and were never left wanting. Her life spanned the end of the British empire and the start of the age of the internet. Few of us can remember a time without the Queen on the throne.
Our great nation is feeling tremendous pain at the loss of our beloved Queen. As we come to terms with that loss, let us give thanks that it was our good fortune to have her reign over us, happily and gloriously, for so long; and let us give our sympathy and support to His Majesty the King. In years to come, those children who waved flags in the Scottish Borders will tell their grandchildren of the day the Queen came to town. Each of them, each of us here and all our constituents will forever be able to say with pride, “We are Elizabethans.”
God save the King.
