West Bromwich MP Shaun Bailey opens up on domestic abuse in maiden speech
A Black Country MP has used a Commons address to pay tribute to his mother, who he said had suffered terrible domestic abuse when he was a child.
Shaun Bailey said his mum had "saved" him and his sister and that her fighting spirit had inspired him to enter politics.
He made the comments during an emotional maiden speech in Parliament, having been elected as the first ever Conservative MP for West Bromwich West in December's general election.
WATCH Shaun Bailey's maiden speech here:
Mr Bailey, who grew up in a single-parent family in Shropshire, told MPs: "It's been the women in my life that have really inspired me to come here, and I think really of my mom, who is at home watching today.
"My mom is a fighter, she's a survivor. She survived terrible domestic abuse when I was younger. She saved me and my sister.
"She taught me that no matter what you do, and no matter where you come from, if you work hard, you aspire, and you dream, you can do it. And you have to speak up for those people who cannot speak up for themselves.
"She is the inspiration to why I'm here, and I want to thank her today."
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Mr Bailey also paid tribute to his predecessors Adrian Bailey – who he said had sought to serve his community hard over 20 years – and "the legend" Baroness Boothroyd, who he said had instructed him to provide her with updates from West Bromwich West and to "look after" his constituents.
He name-checked local landmarks the Balaji Temple and Mad O'Rourke's Pie Factory, as well as Tipton-born Bully, and described Tividale Football Club as a "bastion of English football".
"Tividale have had an up and down history over the last 60 years but the team is stronger than ever, and I'm really looking forward to getting down there and working with the team to really push their agenda forward over the next four and a half years," he said.
He also hailed Brexit, saying it presented the opportunity for "a new industrial revolution" in the Black Country.
"We have to get this right," he said. "Because my communities are relying on us getting this right."
Taking aim at Labour's past dominance over Sandwell, he added: "Many of my constituents have lost faith in this place, because this place has talked at them and not spoken for them.
"And with groups of people in my area for half a century acting with a born to rule attitude, it was good to see that finally in December those same people were sent packing."
Mr Bailey pledged to ensure that his constituents were "never abandoned again".
