Adam Dance delivered his maiden speech in the House of Commons today, sharing his personal journey to becoming the Member of Parliament for Yeovil and South Somerset. He spoke warmly of the inspiration provided by the late Rt Hon Paddy Ashdown, the former MP for Yeovil and leader of the Liberal Democrat Party, as well as the support he received from David Laws, the last Liberal Democrat to represent the area.
In his speech, Adam highlighted the local history of his constituency, noting how Crewkerne supplied the sails and West Coker the ropes for Admiral Nelson's flagship, HMS Victory, at the Battle of Trafalgar. He also described Yeovil's growth in engineering, from Petters to Westlands, and now Leonardo, one of the area's major employers.
Adam shared his personal experiences growing up with ADHD and dyslexia, addressing young people directly with a message of resilience and encouragement:
"I say to young people everywhere, don’t let the system put you down, don’t let them tell you with ADHD and Dyslexia you need to find suitable work as you won’t make anything of your life otherwise. With good teachers, and I have had several excellent ones, I’ve made it up through the political system to the top representative role for around 100,000 people. If I can make it in what I want to do, so can you."
Marking the date of his maiden speech, coinciding with the U.S. elections, Adam expressed hope that the UK, like the U.S., would pursue a path toward "opportunity and fairness for all," a sentiment he urged his colleagues to embrace with foresight for the future.