The poppy stands tall, with bended head—the perfect personification of honouring our dead. Every year, one of the most iconic flowers is seen and respected across this nation, and it is down to the work of the Royal British Legion.
Last month I had the honour of leading a Westminster Hall debate on the role of the Royal British Legion. This was the first time the work and contribution of the RBL to our country had been debated in the House of Commons for 13 years.
The conversation was particularly poignant as the 80th anniversary of VE Day was just around the corner.
It was Thornton Wilder who said, “The greatest tribute to the dead is not grief, but gratitude,” and the RBL embodies that sentiment perfectly.
I know that many of you will be aware of the fantastic contributions that the RBL makes to communities across the country, but it would be remiss of me not to talk about some of its great work and the history behind it.
It was formed in May 1921 to care for those who were suffering as a result of their service during the First World War, and brought together four national organisations for ex-servicemen. Of those who came back from the First World War, 1.75 million suffered some form of disability, and half of them were permanently disabled, so the legion had important work to do right from its beginning.
The RBL established the two-minute silence and the Poppy Appeal – remembrance traditions that endure today and, importantly, unite the nation. It has expanded its support to all those who have served for at least seven days, adapting to each generation’s changing needs. It is now the UK’s largest military charity, with 180,000 members, 110,000 volunteers – an army in itself – and a network of partners and charities.
Nationally, the RBL’s impact is undeniable – distinct, poignant, respectful and powerful – but an organisation is only as strong as the sum of its parts. For the continued success of initiatives like the Poppy Appeal, breakfast clubs and education programs in schools, we have local branches, of which there are around 2,500 across the United Kingdom and overseas, to thank.
My community – Hinckley and Bosworth – is fortunate to have six RBL branches in our area. One of the many great privileges I’ve had since becoming an MP is being asked by the Royal British Legion Hinckley branch to be their Honorary President.
It was on that evening in 2023 when I learned the Branch’s first President, 100 years earlier in 1923, was the then Conservative and Unionist Member of Parliament for Bosworth and my predecessor but three, Major Thomas Guy Paget. I hope that when the Branch is celebrating its 200th anniversary, in 2123, the same honour I currently hold as President is bestowed upon one of my successors as the Member of Parliament for Hinckley and Bosworth.
For many, the gatherings and memorials to commemorate events like VE Day, Armed Forces Day and Armistice Day are bittersweet – and that is no different for MPs. We stand alongside our community in sombre silence as we reflect on the conflict and pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for our freedoms, then join residents at things like street parties where we celebrate those freedoms alongside neighbours, friends and family.
In the Westminster Hall debate, James Cartlidge, Shadow Defence Secretary, spoke of how he attended the National Memorial Arboretum last year as Minister for Defence Procurement. If you didn’t know, in the central area of commemoration at the Arboretum there is an arrow slit that, should it be sunny in Staffordshire, the sun shines through at 11 am. I’m sure this Government’s Defence Ministers will be commemorating VE Day in a similar manner.
As our communities come together in memory of VE Day, let us also reflect on the quiet, steadfast work of the Royal British Legion. It is a pillar of remembrance, a shield for those who served, and a voice for those who can no longer speak. In paying tribute to that, we affirm our collective duty to support it, just as it has supported so many.
We will remember them.
As our communities come together in memory of VE Day, let us also reflect on the work of the Royal British Legion
