Last week the SNP MP Phil Boswell made a ‘depravity’ gaffe in his maiden speech. Happily, his colleague – and Parliament’s youngest MP – Mhairi Black had more luck today when she gave her first speech in the House of Commons.
The 20-year-old SNP MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire South began by praising her predecessor Douglas Alexander, Labour’s election strategist.
‘Firstly in my maiden speech I want to pay tribute to my predecessor Douglas Alexander, he served the constituency for many years. After all I was only three when he was elected, but it was because of that fact that I want to thank him for all he did in the constituency and I especially want to take a moment to commend him for the dignified way that he handled himself on what must have been a very difficult election night. He did himself proud and he did his party proud and I wish him the best for the future.’
Black then went on to show that unlike her fellow SNP MPs, who had gone to extreme lengths to include their links to Rabbie Burns in their maiden speech, she felt no need:
‘I, however, feel no need to do this as during my research I discovered a fact which trumps them all, William Wallace was born in my constituency.’
However, it wasn’t all laughs, with Black turning her attention to George Osborne’s Budget, which saw the young hit particularly hard:
‘The chancellor said in his budget that no one earning over £40k in London should have their rents paid by other working people. But it is okay if you’re an MP? The chancellor also abolished any housing benefit for anyone under the age of 21. So we are now in the ridiculous situation whereby because I am an MP not only am I the youngest but I am also the only 20-year-old in the whole of the UK the chancellor is prepared to help with housing.’
Black’s comments were met with applause from her SNP colleagues, so much so that the deputy speaker Eleanor Laing had to stop them in their tracks for breaking Chamber etiquette.
‘Order, order, the honourable lady has just made an excellent speech but the House will show it’s appreciation in a way other than clapping.’
This comes after the SNP MPs have been warned repeatedly to watch their manners while in the Commons. After members applauded Simon Burns following a talk he gave explaining that clapping was banned, Burns told Steerpike that if they clapped in the chamber again, words would be exchanged. Watch this space.
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