(West
Dunbartonshire) (SNP): On a point of order, Madam Deputy
Speaker. Last Monday, in my constituency, I had the immense
privilege of assisting to hoist the holocaust memorial
flag to commemorate everyone who was butchered or medically
experimented on by national socialism as it dominated the
continent of Europe.
As co-chair of the all-party parliamentary group on Gypsies,
Travellers and Roma, I was utterly dumbfounded at the weekend
when the holocaust was
used to poke fun at one of the most marginalised groups in these
islands. The Roma and Gypsy community have been part of the story
of these islands for millennia and, as co-chair of the APPG, I
can tell the House that it was not funny.
Comedy is a useful tool in lightening the mood, and it is often
up to us to decide what we believe to be funny. What
opportunities are there for Members of this House to show their
support and commitment to the dignity of the suffering of all
those who lost their lives during the holocaust—Jews, Gypsies,
Roma, the LGBT community, Jehovah’s Witnesses and many
others—such as an Adjournment debate or a Backbench Business
debate? [Interruption.] Perhaps Conservative Members should
listen. What opportunities are there to recognise the value and
worth of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community across these
islands, and to raise them up, not put them down?
Madam Deputy Speaker ( ): I am grateful to the
hon. Gentleman for giving me notice of his point of order. He has
put his concerns in the public domain very effectively with what
he has just said. He asks me what mechanisms there are to raise
his concerns. He listed quite a few of them, so he is obviously
aware of them. I am sure the Table Office will be able to advise
him on any other mechanisms. The Leader of the House is here,
too, and he will have heard what the hon. Gentleman had to say. I
will leave it at that.
