A Wokingham market trader will forever be part of history after being mentioned in the Houses of Parliament last week.
Darren Phillips has been trading on the market for more than 25 years. His father was also a trader on the market before him, and his daughter has recently started selling cakes.
He was mentioned by name in the maiden speech by Wokingham’s MP, Clive Jones, in the Houses of Parliament last week.
Darren told Wokingham Today how he first heard the news.
He said: “I had a couple of customers come to me asking for my autograph.
“Then the town clerk, Katy Hughes, came to me with a print out of Clive’s speech from Hansard, the official record of government.”
He joked: “I’ve not had any photographers outside my house yet, but it was a lovely gesture and much appreciated.”
Darren’s flowers have clearly won fans in high places. Sir Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, also became a customer during one of his pre-election visits to the constituency.
Asked what Clive’s favourite flowers are, Darren said: “They’re not exclusively yellow.
“He generally buys a fancy mixed bouquet or something similar.
“He likes to keep his wife happy.”
Cllve’s maiden speech in full is printed below.
Members on these benches have a strong sense of social justice. This comes to us from many directions during our lives.
Fifty years ago, I had an inspirational social and religious studies teacher John Featherstone, who I’m grateful to for helping instil these values in me.
This sense of social justice will, I hope, guide me during my time in this house. I’m very pleased that John is in the gallery today.
It is a pleasure to represent the constituency of Wokingham, whose boundaries somewhat changed at the last General Election.
I would like to pay tribute to my three predecessors who each represented part of the constituency.
From James Sunderland, the former MP for Bracknell, my constituency inherited the parishes of Finchampstead and Wokingham Without.
I always found James approachable and straight forward, and I understand his constituents found the same.
Sir John Redwood was the MP for the former Wokingham constituency for a remarkable 37 years; a tremendous stint of public service in which he had a profound influence on public policy.
He served in Margaret Thatcher’s government as a junior minister, and in John Major’s cabinet as Secretary of State for Wales where he is best known for his enthusiastic miming of the Welsh national anthem.
The wards of Thames and Twyford were represented by Lady Theresa May for 24 years, a dedicated public servant who served as Home Secretary and Prime Minister.
She also has a well-deserved reputation with her former constituents who hold her in high regard and talk about her warmly, with affection and with much respect.
Although our politics are different, I wish all of them well in their future endeavours.
It is an honour and privilege to be elected to represent the people of Wokingham where I have lived for much of the last 50 years.
I went to school here, as did my children who were born in the nearby Royal Berkshire Hospital.
This hospital, where I am proud to be a governor, is where doctors found my cancer in 2008 and began my successful treatment.
In 2016 they diagnosed my need for a quadruple heart bypass. Without the Royal Berks Hospital, I wouldn’t be standing here now.
Our NHS staff are wonderful and our clinicians at the Royal Berkshire deserve all the praise that is heaped on them by my constituents.
Today, we are debating the chancellor’s budget responsibility bill. In the previous debate, the chancellor announced the pausing of the new hospital building programme which included the Royal Berkshire
Hospital.
Parts of the building date back to 1839 and staff are having to work in offices where the windows don’t open, and where staff have to regularly walk around buckets that are there to catch dripping rain water.
I must repeat my plea, to both the chancellor and the secretary of state for health, for a speedy decision as to when this much needed rebuild of our beloved hospital will happen.
If I may, I would like to give you a short tour of the Wokingham constituency.
In the north is the world-famous Henley regatta course at Remenham and the very successful Leander Rowing Club, one of the most successful sports clubs in the world.
I was delighted when the then Prime Minister chose to visit The Leander Club during the recent general election campaign – and even more so that his visit coincided with a boat trip that myself and the honourable members for Henley & Thame and St Albans were making to highlight the issue of the dumping of raw sewage in our waterways.
It was fun to wave at the PM from this beautiful stretch of the river, and the media all seemed to love it too.
Wokingham has wonderful, picturesque villages. Wargrave is recorded in 1061 and in the Domesday book.
The village of Twyford dates from 871 when Alfred the Great’s army escaped Viking pursuers by crossing the river Loddon.
Wokingham has a thriving and growing brewing sector, establishing great reputations amongst beer lovers including Loddon Brewery, Elusive Brewery and Siren Brewery..
The Stanlake Park wine estate in Hurst is one of the oldest wine producers in England.
The chancellor will know that our town centres and village centres, like many others in the UK, are finding life difficult.
The cost-of-living crisis created by the previous government continues to limit people’s spending power – and online competition is ruthless.
Business rates are a huge issue for our local retailers who make our high streets the great places they are, and I do hope the chancellor will urgently look to reform business rates.
Wokingham town received its market charter in 1219. I thoroughly recommend the fruit and veg stall and the fishmonger.
My wife also likes me to buy flowers for her from Darren’s flower stall. She says they last longer than any supermarket flowers.
Using this market is good value for money and an important part of our local character.
Today, the constituency is gaining a reputation as a home for Life science businesses.
I was pleased, as leader of the council, to be involved in the early stages of discussions with Lonza, a Swiss public company who will be investing several hundred million pounds in the constituency over the next few years.
Wokingham has many charities where volunteers work very hard to improve the lives of our residents.
I’ll mention just a few: the Wokingham Food Bank, First Days, Wokingham in Need, Building for the future, Citizens Advice, Age UK Berkshire, Wokingham United Charities and The Cowshed.
The dedication and hard work of volunteers in these charities, and many others, is truly inspirational.
In the southern part of the constituency is the former REME garrison in Arborfield, with which the town had an important relationship for many years,
John Walter, a newspaper editor and politician and the son of the founder of The Times newspaper, lived on the
Bearwood estate. He was the Whig MP for the county of Berkshire before 1832, early beginnings of what I hope will become a long-standing Liberal tradition in our area.
Mr Speaker, from your chair you must be thinking this 59th parliament has so many young faces. And I know you will be including me in that category.
I bet you are wondering what is his secret. It’s simple. I worked in the toy industry for many years, running manufacturing and importing businesses.
Playing with toys every day for so many years has kept me looking very young.
Our toys made many young children and their parents happy, and I am hoping to be just as successful in my second career – helping the people of Wokingham improve their lives. If I can achieve this, I will have had two worthwhile careers.
Finally, Mr Speaker I’m grateful to the many people, and in particular my family and friends, who have helped me in my campaign to be elected to the House of Commons, some of whom are in the gallery today.
Wokingham has never before elected a Liberal Democrat MP.
I will work tirelessly to represent my constituents, and I will endeavour to make them feel recognised and supported.
I come here idealistic and hopeful, hoping we can make the public feel the same about our institutions and ensure we do them justice on these battered, but far from broken green benches.
