Yesterday, the House broke with tradition and burst into applause.  The occasion was the valedictory speech of Lord Jenkin of Roding.  Under the House of Lords Reform Act, which took effect earlier this year, peers can now resign from the House.  The Procedure Committee produced proposals, agreed by the House, to mark the retirement of peers who utilise the provisions of the Act.  These include, should the peer so wish, the opportunity to make a valedictory speech, the equivalent to a maiden speech.  As with a maiden speech, it is indicated on the Speakers’ List and peers do not move about the House, or enter or leave, while the speech is being made.

Lord Jenkin is not the first peer to leave under the provisions of the Act, but he is the first to make use of the opportunity to make a formal valedictory speech. The speech marked the end of fifty years of unbroken parliamentary service by Lord Jenkin.  As Patrick Jenkin, he entered the House of Commons in 1964, succeeding Sir Winston Churchill as the Member for Woodford.  He spent 25 years in the Commons, including serving in the Cabinet under Margaret Thatcher, and 25 years in the Lords.  He has been an extremely active member of the House, contributing on a range of issues and making a notable and much lauded speech last year in the support of the Same-sex Marriage Bill.

Yesterday, his son, Bernard Jenkin MP, was stood by the Bar to listen to his speech, and his daughter-in-law, Baroness Jenkin of Kennington, was sat near to him on the same bench.  When he finished his speech, one or two peers applauded, then there was a momentary silence, then the House broke into applause.  It was a remarkable occasion.

You can read Lord Jenkin’s speech here.