英国下议院长约翰·伯考 | 2009年任职演讲

Thank you. My first pleasant duty is warmly to thank on behalf of us all Alan Williams for the magnificent and good-humoured way in which he has conducted this election.

谢谢各位。谢谢。我入职的第一项任务是，代表在座各位，向艾伦·威廉姆斯表示感谢。谢谢他风趣幽默的主持，让此次竞选精彩纷呈。

It's been a very long day, and those of you expecting a customarily lengthy diatribe will be sorely disappointed. I should like to thank and pay a heartfelt tribute to all of the candidates who stood in this election.

这是无比漫长的一天，那些期待听到议长发表胜选长篇大论的人，会感到非常失望。我要感谢所有参加此次竞选的候选人，并向他们致以衷心的敬意。

It has been a constructive debate that we have enjoyed over the last few weeks, I confess that I have the highest regard for all the other candidates; each brought something to the occasion; each had a contribution to make; and I can honestly say that each made that contribution in the most sincere and constructive fashion to the great and continuing benefit of this House.

这是一场建设性的辩论。过去几周来，让我们获益良多。必须承认，我对其他各位候选人怀有最高敬意。每个人都在辛苦付出，每个人都在默默奉献。坦白讲，他们每个人都以一种最真诚，又最具建设性的方式，为下议院最长远的利益，恪尽职守，鞠躬尽瘁。

Colleagues, you will understand that my thoughts at this time are, above all, with my family: my wife, Sally, our three very young children, Oliver, Freddie and Jemima, not to mention my beloved mother, who has been keenly interested in the proceeding.

同僚们，你们都明白，此时此刻，我的心绪与家人同在：我的妻子莎莉和三个年幼的孩子，奥利弗、弗莱和杰迈玛。更不必说我敬爱的母亲，她对整个竞选过程都充满了十足的好奇心。

Colleagues, you have just bestowed upon me the greatest honour that I have enjoyed in my professional life. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the confidence that you have placed in me, and I am keenly aware of the obligations into which I now enter.

同僚们，你们所给予我的是我职业生涯中最崇高的荣誉。我由衷感谢各位，将你们的信任托付于我。我十分清楚自己即将承担的职责。

I want just to say this about the responsibility of the office, I said only a few hours ago in my speech that, if elected, a Speaker has a responsibility immediately and permanently to cast aside all his or her previous political views. I said it and...I said it and I meant it.

关于下议院议长的责任，我想强调一点。几小时前，我在竞选演说中提到，一旦当选，议长要立刻肩负责任，将一切个人政治立场抛之脑后。我这么说...我这么说，是认真的！

My commitment to this House is to be completely impartial, as between members of one political party and another. That is what it is about, and I will do my best, faithfully and honourably and effectively to serve this House in the period ahead.

我对下议院的承诺是，在各党派成员之间，我必将保持中立，维护公正。这就是议长的意义所在。我定将倾尽全力，忠诚地、正直地、有效地在往后的日子里，为下议院竭诚服务。

We have faced quite the most testing times. It has been a gruelling experience. Many Members feel very sore and very vulnerable, but large sections of the public also feel angry and disappointed. We do have to reform, but I just want to say that I continue to believe that, the vast majority of Members of this House are upright, decent, honourable people, who have come into politics not to feather their nests, but because they have heeded the call of public service. They want to serve their constituents, to make a difference, and to improve the lot of their fellow citizens in this country, and for such people I shall always have the highest respect.

我们经受了相当多的考验，这是一场艰苦的历练。许多议员感到愤愤不平或脆弱不堪，许多人民群众也感到愤怒和失望。我们的确需要改革。但我想说的是，我依然坚信，绝大多数下议院议员都是忠诚正直，品行端正的可敬之人。他们从政，绝非为满足一己私欲，中饱私囊，而是有心为公共事业奉献奋斗。他们想要为选民服务，改变现状，他们想要改善国民的生活水平。对于这样的政客，我向来怀抱最崇高的敬意。

It is on that basis, with that conviction, and in that spirit that I shall seek to discharge my obligations in this office, which I regard, as I have said, as the greatest privilege of my professional life to occupy.

在此基础上，本着这一信念与精神，我必将奉公克己，殚精竭力，恪尽职守。正如我此前所说，任此职务，是我职业生涯中至高无上的荣誉。