‘Mother of the House’ Harriet Harman delivers final commons speech after 42 years as MP

Harriet Harman delivered her final speech as an MP on Friday, after more than 40 years in the House of Commons

Harman, 73, was first elected in 1982 and holds the record as the longest-ever continuously serving female MP, hence the “Mother of the House” title.

The long-serving Labour MP had already stated her intention to stand down from the commons ahead of the prime minister’s announcement on Wednesday, by which an election was triggered.

Harman used her final speech to encourage more women to enter politics and to pay tribute to her late husband, Jack Dromey, a former Labour MP.

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