The Big Issue founder John Bird electrified the House Of Lords today with a maiden speech that spoke of his decades of fight to beat poverty, indicated that he wants to bring lessons learned to bear during his time as a peer, and also left some members a little confused.
In a colourful and fierce 13 minutes, which, said Lord Patel, “will go down in the records of maiden speeches as astounding and eccentric,” Bird raised laughs by thanking his probation officer, raised eyebrows when he said “bugger” and focused on the achievements of The Big Issue.
“The Big Issue invests in 320 social businesses throughout the UK, trying to prevent the next generation of Big Issue vendors. This experience and practise I hope to bring to the service of this House,” said Bird, who was named a crossbench peer last autumn.
“We held hands [of those who came to us] and we still hold their hands. We want to give a hand up not a hand out.”
Looking back at a difficult upbringing, Bird also paid tribute to the late Baroness Wootton, another important change-maker in the House of Lords.