It was my honour to lay a wreath at the Cheadle Hulme War memorial this weekend on behalf of the council. I was proud to do this because I feel very strongly that the act of remembrance is important. I am lucky that I have never had to fight to defend the democracy I value so highly and work within every day. But I know that my freedom has been and, yes, is being defended at great cost by brave men and women who put everything they have on the line to defend our country, our democracy and our way of life.
Now, more than ever, it is important for all of us to do more than just remember the importance of the military covenant. I was totally opposed to sending British forces to war in Iraq and for me the injustice of the mission made my support for the brave young men and women being sent to fight even more important. As a society and as a nation we have to look after our military personal and their families, it is literally the least we can do to make sure that they have decent homes to live in, decent health care and that their families are cared for if the worse happens.
This year’s remembrance Sunday was blessed with good clear Autumn weather. The ceremony itself always makes me emotional. The sacrifice made or offered by our armed forces is the greatest anyone can make and the solemnity of the remembrance ceremony is very touching. The brave heroes of yesteryear remembering their lost friends and no doubt their own close scrapes. Alongside them a grateful town and perhaps most poignantly the young people who are considering offering this country the greatest sacrifice of all!
For me the most touching part of this year’s ceremony was the face of a young air cadet on duty for the parade. As the lone bugler played the last post I noticed his eyes fill with tears. The young man would probably feel embarrassed to know he had been spotted but in my view he should feel proud of his emotion. His proud unmoving stance gave credit to his service and training as an air cadet and his welling tears gave credit to his humanity. These quiet salt tears show that the sacrifice of our armed services in history and today will not be forgotten. He understands the depth of the sacrifice he is considering offering to this country he is a reminder of why the sacrifice is offered. His freedom to choose his own path through life is just one of the prizes won by his predecessors.
The only sour note sounded this remembrance Sunday did not come from the bugler, the piper or the brass band that accompanied our procession through Cheadle Hulme. It came from a Conservative glory hound. I was proud to offer a wreath on behalf of all of the people of Stockport as the Council’s representative, Mark Hunter was equally proud to offer Parliament’s respects. Alongside us in the civic party were representatives of the Police, Fire brigade, veteran’s, cadets and the scouting movement. There was also one other who insisted on joining the civic party, no doubt confident that nobody would cause a scene on Remembrance Sunday. I don’t question for one second that the Conservatives, both individually and collectively, genuinely wanted to pay their respects, but for one individual to use the remembrance ceremony to try to increase his personal credibility undermines that genuine commitment. If the self promoting Conservative candidate was simply there to remember the fallen he would have quietly and respectfully laid his wreath at the appropriate time. But, by insinuating himself into the civic party, he may have made himself feel important but he actually belittled himself and brought shame to the Conservative Party, how very sad.
