Cormac receives ovation following Commons speech

Cormac receives ovation following Commons speech

21 November 2018

DOWNPATRICK student Cormac Savage received a standing ovation in the House of Commons when he made his maiden speech as the Member of the Youth Parliament (MYP) for South Down.

The 15 year-old gave an impassioned address about the plight of the homeless, highlighting the particular threat to homeless women.

His speech in London has since gone viral on social media, receiving more than 60,0000 views.

The taste of parliamentary debate has gone down so well with the GCSE student that he is not ruling out a future career in politics.

“I had thought of going into the diplomatic service but who knows now, I wouldn’t rule out going into  politics but I haven’t a clue what party it might be,” he said.

Cormac was chosen to speak on homeless as one of the motions agreed in a recent ballot of one million youths under the age of 16 throughout the UK.

Referring to himself as a feminist, he told the debate, which was chaired by the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, of the extra need to protect women who are sleeping rough.

“Women’s Aid has reported that one in ten rough sleepers they are supporting are sleeping rough after fleeing domestic abuse,” he said.

“It is our job as the voice of the future to stand up for those women and proclaim for all, this cannot, will not and must not go on.”

Despite admitting later he was very nervous before he spoke, Cormac drove home the message of the vulnerability of homeless women by saying studies shown that 56% of them had been subjected to rape.

He asked: “How can this happen? This makes my blood boil. How can people pray on the most vulnerable in our society for their own gratification? 

“It is our job as the voice of youth, the voice of the future, to stand up for these women and proclaim for all in positions of authority to hear that this cannot, will not and must not go on.”