A standing ovation for Jack Sargeant’s speech
WALES’ newest and youngest Assembly Member Jack Sargeant took his seat yesterday, with a maiden speech that combined a tribute to his late father and a statement of intent about securing prosperity for his constituents.
Mr Sargeant, 23, last week won the Alyn and Deeside by-election triggered by the death of his father Carl Sargeant, who was sacked from his post as Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children by First Minister Carwyn Jones as a result of unspecified allegations of sexual harassment that he denied.
In his speech Jack Sargeant said: “I want to take the opportunity to thank members across this chamber for their words of congratulations following the recent by-election in Alyn and Deeside.
“From members of the security team, to the catering staff and AM support staff, the kind of words of congratulations have been overwhelming.”
He said it was customary for a politician making their first speech in the Chamber to pay tribute to their predecessor, stating: “Not only am I paying tribute to someone who loved his constituency and who loved Wales and fought tirelessly, especially for those who were less able to stand up for themselves, but I’m also paying tribute to the man I knew as Dad. The man I loved going for a pint with. The man who helped me with my exams. The man who stood by my side proud as anything when I graduated. The man who was the glue that held our family together.
“But also the man who showed me that being the right sort of politician was not something you did in the Assembly Chamber but something you did in every interaction with every person no matter who they were, so that they knew that they mattered and that their issues and concerns were being listened to and understood.”
Mr Sargeant said he and his family had been “touched and comforted” by the outpouring of support and solidarity that they had seen from ordinary people in Alyn and Deeside, across Wales, the UK and in the Assembly.
Describing the problems facing his constituency, he said: “Alyn and Deeside has seen tough times but it’s that sense of community and looking after each other that we as a family have seen more than ever in recent months. Like much of north east Wales it has a large manufacturing base – it’s something we’re proud of and we’re also proud that it is not just holding onto its past but is at the forefront of diversifying and embracing new technology to create the jobs of the future.
“But we must do more to build to give better opportunities to our young people and to make sure our communities have the right infrastructure and services for the future.”
Mr Sargeant referred to the importance of the Airbus plant at Broughton in his constituency which employs 7,000 people and supports businesses directly and indirectly across the region.
He also spoke of Deeside College, which has students from across north east Wales and Cheshire and is where he gained his engineering apprenticeship. He said: “I want to see it grow from strength to strength so that other young people benefit from the same opportunities as me – opportunities which can if we get it right put Wales at the forefront of the fourth industrial revolution.”
Turning to the inquiries under way into the way his father was treated, Mr Sargeant said: “I know I am not the only person in this chamber who wants justice for my father. I know from the campaign we have just conducted that this feeling is also shared by my constituents in Alyn and Deeside. Alongside my political work in this chamber I will also be working to ensure that the inquiries under way will examine the way in which my dad was treated in the run up to his death. I owe my family, my constituents, my friends and my father no less.”
He concluded: “I am in this place to be a strong voice representing their interests building on the work started by my dad – jobs and skills, aiming to end youth homelessness, work to end the epidemic of domestic abuse and work to ensure that this Government listens to people – real people – and delivers policies which will work for them. There is no greater tribute I could pay to my dad than continuing this work and delivering for the constituency he loved and that is what I intend to do. And I hope that as the representative of a new generation in this Assembly I can do something to build a better, kinder politics for the future.”
Mr Sargeant’s speech was listened to intently by AMs from all parties, who applauded and gave him a standing ovation. He will join three committees after next week’s recess: External Affairs, which is examining the impact on Wales of Brexit; Equality, Local Government and Communities; and Culture, Welsh Language and Communications.