USUALLY it’s the party leader who steals the show at conference – but this week a “surprise addition” captured the hearts and minds of the Tory faithful.
Introducing Rishi Sunak was his wife, Akshata Murty, who delivered a personal speech which was a touching tribute to the man she called her “best friend”.
ReutersAkshata Murty delivered a personal speech which was a touching tribute to the man she called her ‘best friend’[/caption]
ReutersAkshata did an excellent job of humanising the Prime Minister[/caption]
It was funny and romantic.
She spoke about how she had witnessed her husband’s ambition and drive — as well as his love for cheesy romcoms.
Akshata did an excellent job of humanising the Prime Minister.
She reassured the audience that his love of Netflix show Emily In Paris “was not informing his outlook on the EU”.
It was all very sweet and touching — but also rather interesting.
The whole thing felt more like the speech a candidate’s wife would deliver on the campaign trail in the States.
In the UK, there is no official First Lady position.
Wives and husbands come and go from Downing Street, largely staying in the background.
Reams may be written about their influence behind the scenes — but it’s rare to hear them speak out, let alone deliver key speeches.
But this has been done before.
Sarah Brown first introduced her husband Gordon at the 2008 Labour Party Conference, inspired by the similar role Michelle Obama had performed for husband Barack in the US.
Some say Rishi and Akshata were inspired by American senator Mitt Romney and his wife Ann, who played a huge role in both of her husband’s presidential campaigns.
It may have been Akshata’s first speech on such a large stage, but you would not have known it.
She was perfectly poised, though I can only imagine how she must have been quaking in her boots.
The truth is that I do not have to imagine.
In 2013, I spoke at the Conservative Party Conference to introduce the then-Chancellor, George Osborne.
Bearing in mind that I am a pretty experienced public speaker, it is hard to articulate just how nervous I was.
My big mistake was peeking out at the audience as I was waiting backstage to go on.
There was a sea of cameras — about 200, from every newspaper and TV station — in a bank in front of the crowd, which looked to be of about 1,000 people.
I suddenly realised that whatever I was about to do would be immortalised around the country and the world — so it had better be good.
And, honestly, if I’d been given the opportunity to run away then, I would have. But the show must go on — always.
So I faced my fear and did it anyway.
I was worried that I would let someone down, say something wrong, give the wrong impression or let my nerves get to me by fluffing my lines or forgetting the most important one.
‘A great asset’
Talking about getting the lines wrong, George Osborne was announcing me as his small business ambassador.
His speech writer had written “you’re fired” in a nod to my role on TV’s Apprentice, rather than “you’re hired”.
Thank goodness someone checked it before he read it out.
Although my speech went off smoothly, the joy of it being over was pretty short-lived.
The next day everything from my dress to my hair and make-up were dissected and analysed mercilessly.
One paper, which shall remain nameless, compared me to the then-Foreign Secretary William Hague’s wife, “the beautifully buxom Ffion Hague”.
We were both wearing grey and black “bodycon” dresses and the paper said: “Ffion’s cost £583 and gave her the shape of (actress) Christina Hendricks, while Karren’s cost £38 and she resembled a magnificent grey whale.”
Blooming cheek!
Luckily, I had a thick skin already, and that experience only helped it to get thicker.
But the truth is that doing a speech like this is not something anyone willingly does, nor relishes.
Akshata must love her husband very much because there is no other reason anyone would put themselves forward to do this.
She will be a great asset in the General Election.
Chris: Mum’s my rock
CHRISTINE McGUINNESS this week revealed how her mum has been helping her through her painful divorce from TV star husband Paddy.
She said of loyal Joanne: “She has been my rock and is a huge inspiration . . . my mum has always been my biggest supporter.”
GettyChristine McGuinness revealed how her mum has been helping her through her painful divorce[/caption]
Christine and her mum Joanne on a mini break in MajorcaInstagram
As a mum of three to Felicity, seven, and ten-year-old twins Penelope and Leo, Christine will no doubt offer the same inspiration to her own kids.
Shame on sick medics
AS a nation, we hold our nurses in the highest esteem.
The care, dedication and professionalism they use to perform their job is a lesson to us all.
LancsLive/MENCatherine Hudson, left, and Charlotte Wilmot, right[/caption]
That’s why we banged our saucepans and thanked our lucky stars for each and every one of them during the peak of the pandemic.
And it’s why we are so horrified by the story of nurse Catherine Hudson, who drugged two stroke patients and conspired with healthcare assistant Charlotte Wilmot to give sedatives to a third.
Cops said they did it for their “own amusement” and an “easy life”.
The pair have been warned they face jail.
It’s particularly appalling as their behaviour is the absolute opposite of what we would expect from the caring people we know usually do these jobs.
They have let down their patients, their colleagues, their hospital and their profession.
Shame on them.
Plan’s a flossed cause
WHILE the PM was talking about kids getting more maths lessons, Labour’s latest idea is to ask already overworked primary teachers in England to supervise toothbrushing in schools.
As part of its policy to solve tooth decay, Sir Keir Starmer’s scheme – set to cost £111million annually – would mean that teachers in areas with poor oral health would need to watch over children aged three to five as they cleaned their gnashers.
What a waste of teachers’ valuable time.
They are not the kids’ nannies. They are their educators.
As Paul Whiteman, the general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, succinctly put it: “We need to see greater ambition in the short, medium and long term”.
Getting kids to brush their teeth is the job of parents, not teachers.
If after 13 years out of power this is Labour’s big idea, God help us.
IF someone unexpectedly comes up behind you, puts their hands around your waist and grabs you, your natural reaction might be to lash out.
Well, mine would be anyway. But not our Princess Kate.
GettyKate met players during a Rugby League inclusivity day event in Hull[/caption]
This week a young boy did just this and proceeded to tickle the royal at a Rugby League inclusivity day event in Hull, East Yorks.
Kate made light of it and turned around to shake the hand of the enthusiastic young player, who had broken all sorts of royal protocol, with a wide grin on her face.
What a delight she is, handling the situation with class.
Kate, you’re a credit to the royals and to the country.
Hooray for girl power
GROWING up in the 1980s, successful women in football and business were thin on the ground, so there were not many role models to look up to.
So mine was Alexis Colby from Dynasty, a power-dressing powerhouse who always got what she wanted.
AlamyJoan Collins as Alexis Colby on Dynasty[/caption]
But, of course, she was a character rather than the real deal. Back then, by necessity, I ploughed my own furrow.
As a woman in a traditionally “man’s world”, I dealt with a lot of misogyny and sexism that would be shocking by today’s standards.
I can’t help but think how much easier my path might have been if it had been illuminated by other women, just like me, who had been trailblazers.
So I really love the new campaign by the charity Inspiring Girls, started by international trade lawyer Miriam Gonzalez Durantez, aiming to inspire the next generation of girls.
Their #ThisLittleGirlIsMe campaign coincides with International Day Of The Girl Child on Wednesday.
It invites women from all corners of the globe to post a picture of their younger self, then share the advice they would have given themselves, with the aim of inspiring the next generation.
At a time when our lives are still unfortunately shadowed by misogyny and sexism, this campaign is a brilliant reminder to little girls everywhere that if they follow their hearts and dreams then anything is possible.
No shoulder pads required.
Toe the line, Kev
HARD to resist an eye roll in response to Kevin Keegan saying he doesn’t like “lady footballers” talking about men’s football.
“I don’t like to listen to ladies talking about the England men’s team at the match because I don’t think it’s the same experience. I have a problem with that,” he is reported to have said.
Kevin, just a little heads-up and word to the wise.
If you have to use the word “lady” in front of a job description, then it’s a clue that you are being a little bit sexist.
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