Unfortunately, I wasn’t called to speak in the Tributes to Her late Majesty The Queen in the House of Commons today, but if I had, then this is what I would have said.

“Mr. Speaker,

I will not detain the House long, but I do rise in this sombre debate on behalf of my constituents, because I, in unity with members on all sides of this House, believe it is right to do so, because I wish to do so, and because Mr Speaker, if I didn’t, my mother might struggle to forgive me.

I do not mean to be flippant, but my mother, like many, may not always have agreed with the way this country is run, or even believed in a Monarchy, yet they somehow believed that her Majesty not only transcended politics, but after 70 years of selfless public service, transcended the constitution itself.

Whatever our constitutional future holds for us after this moment in time, Elizabeth Windsor, our former sovereign Queen, will be a figure of massive historical significance, to whom this nation undoubtedly owes a huge debt of thanks.

Mr. Speaker, even amongst the most ardent republicans in my constituency, it is hard to find someone who doesn’t acknowledge the dedication to the people that Queen Elizabeth has demonstrated. A dedication that those who serve in Government would always be wise to try to emulate in the national interest.

Mr Speaker, the second Elizabethan era was in many respects as tumultuous as the first. We think back to where the world was in 1952, and where it is now – and see what changes have gone on.

She wasn’t born expecting to lead, but when fate handed her that role, she was a Queen who committed herself to being the leader the nation needed, at the time the nation needed leadership the most.

In her 70 years as Queen, she presided over 15 Prime Ministers.

Her first Prime Minister was born in 1874. Her last, 101 years later in 1975.

If only one statistic is used to show the seminal, historical importance of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, let it be that.

Her Majesty was of course cross party when it came to her Prime Ministers, never allowing her own personal views to influence the public debate, because she was not only the country’s Queen, she was the Queen for the whole Country.

As My Right Honourable Friend, the leader of His Majesty’s loyal opposition as said “for the vast majority the late Queen has been simply the Queen. The only Queen. Above all else, our Queen”.

In closing Mr Speaker, I mentioned that my mother was a fan of the Queen. But so was my daughter, Stella.

My wife and I discovered this at the time of her recent jubilee one night, as I put Stella to bed, and noticed on her desk that she’d written, without prompting, a letter to her Majesty, which reads:

“I love the Queen. She has been the Queen for 70 years. I love you Allisabath.”

That love, that affection, felt by the older and younger generations, by people of all classes, races, religions and backgrounds, must say something about her Majesty which cannot be doubted – that she was a Queen whose presence in our national life will be sorely missed, and who is irreplaceable.

Our country joins with the Royal Family in their loss, which of course must be so much more poignant and painful than our own, but we unite in gratitude for the selfless service of her Majesty.

So, on behalf of my mother, Stella my daughter and all my constituents, I thank Her Majesty for her great service to our country.

May she rest in peace.”