The Chief Minister paid tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II this afternoon in Parliament.

Her Late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II

Mr Speaker,

The community has had an opportunity to hear fulsome tributes to Her Late Majesty from all members of the House in different fora in the time since the 8th September, when her death was announced.

It would be remiss of us not to reflect those tributes in this House.

Honourable members will have heard me say, and I repeat here, that we were Her Rock, and she was ours, in terms that extends beyond the geological meaning of those words.

For all the time that this Parliament has existed, as well as its predecessor the House of Assembly, we were Her Majesty’s seat of Government in Gibraltar.

For all Hon Members except Sir Joe, we have been born in her reign. So, Mr Speaker the Government considered that the death of Her Majesty on the 8th September had to inevitably lead to the cancellation of the National Day celebrations this year.

As one member of the great Gibraltarian public told a foreign television station, we had nothing to celebrate after Her Majesty’s death.

I refer the House to the statements I have made to various media and elsewhere and reiterate those sentiments to the House today.

Mr Speaker on the 18th September I also extended condolences on behalf of all the People of Gibraltar and all Members of this House directly to His Majesty the King, the Queen Consort, the Count and Countess of Wessex and the Princess Royal at the reception at Buckingham Palace ahead of Her Late Majesty’s funeral.

The British Royal Family have seen the depth of the real affection for Her Majesty that there was in Gibraltar and which remains for the memory of Her reign.

It is also true that the depth of that real affection will also have been seen and felt beyond the United Kingdom.

One hopes it will better help some to understand that for us, British sovereignty is not an esoteric concept.

It is something that runs through our veins, and like our blood, it comes from our hearts.

Mr Speaker, once we have heard from other members I will ask that the House should observe a minute’s silence as a sign of respect for Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

The Chief Minister also paid tribute to Marie Montegriffo:

Hon Marie Montegriffo

Mr Speaker, in sad news we received on the 18th August, the community heard of the death of former member Marie Montegriffo.

That was certainly a blow to those of us on this side of the House.

She had been a member of the House from 1984, from the moment that the GSLP took all the opposition seats.

And she remained a member until 2007.
I had the pleasure, therefore, of sitting with her as a GSLP member of the House for four years. And to add to my pleasure, I had the chance to sit alongside her in those years.


I confess I learnt greatly from her. 
I learnt about how to write an opposition budget speech and leave nothing out. 
I learnt about historic political issues on the GHA and how to write opposition press releases. And most importantly, I learnt how to get under my predecessor’s skin.


Perhaps she taught me that a little too well.


She did it really well, and she taught me really well.
 And care for me she did also, as a younger member.
 And that, I think, Mr Speaker, is the enduring memory that most will have of Marie.

She was someone who cared.

She cared enough to leave everything for her political service to the Socialist party and this Community.

She cared enough to leave her career to become a government minister.

And she cared enough for everyone in our small country to work every hour that she could in her Ministries of Health and Sport.

She was in many respects a pioneer and despite that, Mr Speaker, she was approachable and personable in equal measure.

I know that she was highly regarded by those she worked with in all her ministries and outside of Government.

She was also very highly regarded by those who she worked for, that is to say by the people of Gibraltar, in particular patients and staff of the GHA.

I also know that she was an excellent parliamentarian.

She was well loved across the floor of the House and I know her loss was deeply felt also by members who served with her in Parliament even on different sides.

In that respect I will long remember that in moments of tension in this place, it was often Marie who would break the ice behind the Speaker’s chair after a particularly trenchant argument might have taken hold.

We would all benefit from reflecting on her approach in that respect.

Mr Speaker, I have extended the condolences of the people of Gibraltar and of the GSLP Executive to Gillaine, Marie’s partner, whose loss I know is immense.

I know all our thoughts are with her at this still difficult time.

Sadly, once again, Mr Speaker, after other members’ reflections, I will ask the House to hold a minute’s silence in honour of Miss Montegriffo.