New Halesowen MP uses maiden speech to pay tribute to fallen fellow Marine Jonathan Crookes
Halesowen's new MP Alex Ballinger used his maiden speech to Parliament to pay tribute to Black Country marine Jonathan Crookes who was killed in Afghanistan.
Mr Ballinger also served in the Marines and met Jonathan's mother on the campaign trail during the General Election.
Marine Crookes was killed by an explosion while on patrol with the Royal Marines in Sangin in July 2010 and was laid to rest with full military honours at St John the Baptist Church in the town centre.
Like Marine Crookes, Alex had served with the Royal Marines in Afghanistan. He said: “At the start of that tour, I perhaps did not realise the reality of conflict. I was reminded of it during the election, when I met Sue Crookes, the mother of marine Jonathan Crookes, in Halesowen.
“I did not know Jon, but he was a Halesowen hero, who served in Afghanistan and was tragically killed protecting his comrades.
“Having served alongside brave servicemen and women like Jonathan Crookes, I want to use my time in this House to ensure that we are doing everything that we can to support our armed forces, and the friends and family they leave behind.”
The Labour MP also pledged to serve all those who live in the constituency before he spoke of his own family’s generation of service.
His great-grandad Wilfred fought at the Somme in 1916 while his grandad Frank served in the Royal Navy in World War Two, he said. Meanwhile, his Dad Robert spent 35 years in the RAF serving in Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq. His brother Philip was also in the RAF.
Alex also told Parliament he pledged to campaign for those residents in Halesowen and Cradley Heath who live in tower blocks under the long shadow of the tragedy of the Grenfell Tower fire. He welcomed Government moves to take practical steps to make their lives safer.
He also gave the House of Commons a Black Country history lesson celebrating the rich history of the chainmakers of Cradley Heath, Cradley and Quarry Bank. He reminded Parliament that Cradley Heath was also the scene of a historic 1910 strike inspired by Mary Macarthur which helped establish the principle of a minimum wage in the UK.
Before that, he said, Halesown’s Mediaeval history had seen the town’s Abbey and its land dominate the region.
The maiden speech also celebrated 19th century Wollescote industrialist Ernest Stevens who donated parks to the people of Quarry Bank, Wollescote and Stourbridge and spoke fondly of how his own great grandad was a driver for him.
Alex also recognised the hard work of the people of Halesowen today and their determination to stand up for the vulnerable. He singled out Lifecentral church in Little Cornbow, Halesowen for their work along with the Halesowen and Dudley Yemeni Community Association in Highfield Lane whose work has been recognised with a Queen's award.
He also praised hard working volunteers from food banks in Cradley Heath Community Link in High Street, Cradley Heath as well as Manna House Pantry in Vicarage Road, Rowley Regis and Holy Trinity in Halesowen Road, Old Hill.
In his first speech to Parliament Alex also paid tribute to his predecessors, Conservative James Morris and former deputy speaker of the Commons Sylvia Heal.
