Ten MPs made their maiden speeches during yesterday's debate on a bill to abolish ID cards.
Jack Dromey (Lab, Birmingham Erdington) made his debut 28 years after his wife, acting Labour leader Harriet Harman. She was on the frontbench to hear him pay tribute to his new constituency.
"Birmingham is characterised by Brummie pride," he said.
"There is a distinct ethos of hard work and enterprise, of smiling in adversity, of community and solidarity. I have attended excellent events such as that for Help for Heroes. These are proud people in proud communities in Erdington. Castle Vale, which I am privileged to represent."
Former TV journalist Gloria De Piero (Lab, Ashfield) questioned the Big Society agenda.
"I know that it is fashionable for some on the Government Front Bench to talk about community, and I am delighted that they have rediscovered the word-along with "society"-but I am not convinced that they really understand it," she said.
"They have presented a false divide between the big society and big government. I am arguing for an enabling Government who help people to come together and look after their interests.
"It is not a matter of choosing between society and the state; it is about binding the two together, for then, truly, the whole is worth more than the sum of the parts. The result is an empowered community and a flexible, responsive, enabling state, working together, rather than one replacing the other."
Susan Elan Jones (Lab, Clwyd South) spoke about the historic discrimination faced by Welsh speakers.
"As recently as the 1930s and 1940s, children in the communities that now make up Clwyd South and in many other parts of Wales were punished for speaking Welsh at school; and even after those barbaric practices ceased, there was a sharp decline in the use of the Welsh language. It took decades before its use was finally accepted as mainstream.
"Today, I rejoice that I can swear my oath as a Member of Parliament in Welsh, but in doing so, I pay tribute to people such as my former head teacher, Mrs Mair Miles Thomas, who fought for the Welsh language at a time when it was not fashionable to do so.
"They were ordinary people in the mould of Mrs Rosa Parkes, and their commitment and dedication to civil rights deserve wider recognition."
Caroline Dinenage (Con, Gosport) agreed with the abolition of ID cards.
"The good people of Gosport should be free to get on with their lives, with their jobs and with raising their families, and not have to share information about themselves unless it is for a good reason," she told the House.
"They should not have every personal detail stored on a national register. It is appropriate for me to support the abolition of identity cards as a small gesture towards acknowledging the freedom of this nation's people, given that Gosport has done so much to deliver the freedom of both this and other nations around the world."
Richard Graham (Con, Gloucester) said there are "severe difficulties" with youth unemployment.
"That is why all my constituents will welcome measures taken by this Government to stimulate business, which we must remind ourselves is the sole source of growth, providing jobs and then tax revenues for the services that many Members are calling for in our different constituencies," he told MPs.
Mike Freer (Con, Finchley and Golders Green) reflected on winning back a seat for the Tories once held by "the latter-day Boadicea, one Margaret Hilda Thatcher".
"In this current economic climate, we could learn much from her resolve in addressing the economic crisis that she inherited," he told the House.
"Then, unemployment and inflation were rising, and our public sector spending was out of control. Perhaps the task ahead for our Government today is slightly greater, as Baroness Thatcher never managed to cut public spending.
"She was able only to slow its growth, yet we have laid out plans to cut public expenditure-something of a daunting task. Like her, however, I believe that we must return to sound money and good housekeeping, and to protecting our cherished freedoms."
Kris Hopkins (Con, Keighley) said the arguments in favour of ID cards do not stand up to scrutiny.
"Many supporters of identity cards suggested that they would address illegal immigration," he said.
"During the election campaign in Keighley and Ilkley, immigration was a big issue.
"Sadly, that was because many people had lost confidence in the Government's addressing illegal immigration to this country. At that point, sadly, some people considered supporting right-wing extreme parties, as people in Keighley have done in the past.
"What was actually required to address the issue was not an ID card, but a strong, robust and sensible position on immigration-capping numbers and making sure that we secured our borders. The good news is that we did offer that, and the public listened and believed us. The two right-wing fascist groups that stood in Keighley were severely trashed."
Ian Mearns (Lab, Gateshead) told MPs about one of the city's most famous inhabitants in the 19th century, "possibly fictitious, but well known-was a young lady by the name of Cushy Butterfield, whose description in song gives us some insight into the Tyneside males' mindset at the time:
"She's a big lass and a bonny lass and she likes her beer.
And they call her Cushy Butterfield and ah wish she was here."
He warned the new government over cuts.
"My colleagues and I will no doubt scrutinise every single proposal that comes out of Government.
"Our aim will be to ensure that the social costs of deficit reductions caused by a recession that was caused by the greed and incompetence of bankers and speculators are not simply passed on to the poorest in our communities."
Alec Shelbrooke (Con, Elmet and Rothwell) told the House they need to improve themselves.
"We need to restore faith in politics, and I think we are making a good start with such a great intake of new MPs, and with returning hon. Members realising that much work needs to be done to improve this place. I just hope that as we move forward in this Parliament, my constituents will be very proud to call me their Member of Parliament."
Nigel Adams (Con, Selby and Ainsty) said his constituency includes the sites of two of the bloodiest battles ever fought in England.
"The battle of Towton in 1461 in the war of the roses, which resulted-quite rightly-in a decisive victory for the Yorkists, and the battle of Marston Moor in 1644, where Cromwell's parliamentarians prevailed. I am not an advocate of a return to civil war, but I am an advocate of civil liberties.
"Under the previous Government, there was an unprecedented attack on Britain's historic freedoms, and I am convinced that an ID card would be a further infringement of those freedoms. I promise that for as long as I sit in this House I will fight hard for the interests of my constituents, although my methods may be slightly less bloody than those adopted at Towton and Marston Moor."
