Hansard

I would very much like to associate the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party with the First Minister's motion of congratulations to Her Majesty the Queen on her golden jubilee.

I am a pure Elizabethan, having lived all my life during the reign of Her Majesty. Indeed, I hope to celebrate my own golden jubilee in a few months' time—although I do not expect that to be an occasion for national rejoicing. However, the golden jubilee of Her Majesty most certainly is such an occasion.

In the past 50 years, Her Majesty has at all times carried out her constitutional role with unerring good judgment. The Queen has been, in every sense, a model constitutional monarch. Our living democracy owes much to her instinctive understanding of that rule and her deep love for our country. We therefore celebrate with gratitude 50 years of service to the people of Scotland, the United Kingdom and the wider Commonwealth.

Over those 50 years, the Queen has touched millions of lives through her visits and engagements, through her recognition of people of achievement and courage and through the hard work that she has carried out on behalf of the many charities and other organisations of which she is a patron. Her Majesty has set an admirable example of service to all generations and our regard for her outstanding service to our country has never been higher. Throughout the 50 years of profound social and economic change that the First Minister identified in his speech, her constancy has symbolised the strength, stability and unity of the United Kingdom.

The Queen has a special connection with Scotland thanks to her mother's Scottish ancestry and her obvious affection for Scotland and its people. Indeed, she carried out her first official tour of Scotland with her parents back in September 1944 and performed her first opening ceremony in October of that year at the sailors home in Aberdeen. It is perhaps entirely appropriate that she will return to Aberdeen later this month to address the Scottish Parliament on her golden jubilee tour of Scotland.

Her Majesty's love of Scotland's countryside is demonstrated by her obvious enjoyment of annual holidays at Balmoral. She seems to thrive on our Scottish climate, which goes a long way towards explaining the warmth of feeling that people in Scotland have always had for her.

That high regard for Her Majesty is shared around the world because, through the Commonwealth, the Queen has made an enduring contribution to the lives of hundreds of millions of people around the globe. To Her Majesty, the Commonwealth has never been just another duty or the relic of an imperial past; it has been a deep and abiding personal interest founded on a conviction that that community of countries can be a force for good in the world in addressing some of the major issues of our time.

Throughout her reign, Her Majesty has lived with constant media interest, often at difficult times for her family. However, at all times, she has conducted herself with dignity and honour in a way that has won her our admiration. Never has that been more evident than this year, which saw the particularly painful loss of her mother and her sister. However, even when confronted with personal sadness, the Queen has never flinched from her public duty and has put her country and her people first.

Earlier this year, some critics predicted that there would be no interest in the golden jubilee, which they said would be a flop. I happily predict today that the Jeremiahs and the carpers will be proved utterly wrong by the scale of the celebrations that will take place throughout Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom—a joyous demonstration of the loyalty of our people and the affection in which Her Majesty is held.

We in this chamber will always remember the central role that Her Majesty played in the opening ceremony of the Scottish Parliament. Her Majesty honoured us with her presence that day and will do so again when we meet in Aberdeen. I thank her for her service and devotion to our country over the past half century. Long may she continue to reign over us.