Political speeches have long played a crucial role in shaping public opinion, rallying support, and driving change. They can profoundly influence how a speaker is perceived, sometimes for better, sometimes for worse, but a truly powerful speech leaves a lasting impression.
This year’s nominees for Political Speech of the Year at the Pagefield Awards exemplify the power of rhetoric in leadership and advocacy. From rallying calls for reform to impassioned reflections on national challenges, these speeches captured the essence of leadership in a dynamic political landscape.
As Sam Cunningham, CEO and founder of political intelligence company (and sponsor of this year’s awards) Polimonitor, says: “While we now collect and share the many hundreds of thousands of posts by politicians each year on social media, these nominees clearly show a single, well considered and impassioned speech is really what’s required to change the hearts and minds of millions.”
Here are the nominees:
Danny Kruger MP
For his speech arguing against the Assisted Dying bill, highlighting that the bill is overly comprehensive and too detailed for MPs to process through a private Members’ Bill. Kruger’s position was that Parliament could do better for terminally ill people than “assisted suicide.”
James Cleverly MP
For his enthusiastic leadership contender speech at Conservative Party Conference in which he called for the Party to “be more normal” and highlighted the importance of presenting a relatable and optimistic image to voters.
Kim Leadbeater MP
For her introduction to the Assisted Dying Private Members’ bill, and her commitment to remaining respectful and compassionate when addressing such a delicate topic.
Pat McFadden MP
For his speech on reforming the State and delivering for people, emphasising the need to adopt a more innovative approach by embracing experimentation, digital transformation, and AI.
Rachel Reeves MP
For her speech at the Labour Party Conference in which she promised “Britain’s best days lie ahead”, reaffirming Labour’s commitment to rebuilding Britain and to focus on improving living standards for working people.
Sam Carling MP
For delivering a confident maiden speech as the youngest member of the new Parliament highlighting his personal experiences as a result of the Covid pandemic and his drive to speak up for young people who may have become disengaged with politics.
The winner will be announced at the Pagefield Awards on 18th March.
