Jane Austen

Luke Murphy Excerpts

Thursday 18th December 2025 Westminster Hall

[Luke Murphy (Basingstoke) (Lab)]

I beg to move,

That this House has considered the cultural contribution of Jane Austen.

It is a delight to serve under your chairship, Mr Efford. I am really grateful to have been granted this opportunity to recognise and celebrate the legacy of one of our nation’s greatest authors, if not the greatest: Jane Austen.

Many may be asking why I am the one here speaking about Jane Austen. I have been a fan, of course, of both the 1995 and 2005 adaptations of “Pride and Prejudice”; I thoroughly enjoyed the recent BBC drama “Miss Austen”, which looked at Jane Austen’s life through the eyes of her sister; I have been on a fantastic Jane Austen tour, led by my brilliant constituent, Phil Howe, who is in the Public Gallery; and I have enjoyed many of Austen’s novels over the years. I am not, however, speaking just as a fan. The truth is that although half the country like to claim her, she will always be, first and foremost, a Steventon girl. Born in Steventon in my constituency of Basingstoke, she spent her first 25 years there, where she drafted “Sense and Sensibility”, “Pride and Prejudice” and “Northanger Abbey”. I am proud to be here to commemorate her impact on our town, as well as on the country and around the world.

Throughout Austen’s work, the influence of her upbringing in Steventon is unmistakable. Her father served as the rector, and she spent her formative years deeply rooted in the small community there, observing the congregations that passed through the church and the daily life of the village around her. Many of the social and class dynamics that animate her novels are thought to be shaped by her early experiences watching, as one scholar, Brian Southam put it,

“the world—of the minor landed gentry and the country clergy”—

as they navigated their relationships with both working-class neighbours and the area’s aristocracy.

Dancing also played a central role in Austen’s novels, and that influence can be traced directly back to her years in Basingstoke. She attended lively assemblies at Worting House and at the Old Town Hall, which became the Lloyds bank at the top of town, where she also shopped for materials to make her dresses. That same bustling area was where her father purchased her now famous sloped writing desk from Ring Brothers, the furnishers on Church Street. Austen used that desk throughout her life, drafting the works that would become beloved around the world. Its origins in Basingstoke highlight just how deeply the town shaped both her experiences and her writing.

The quintessential English countryside, which frames so much of Austen’s storytelling, owes much to landscape of north Hampshire—its rolling hills, quiet lanes and natural beauty still recognisable to us today.

[Steff Aquarone (North Norfolk) (LD)]

The hon. Gentleman may know that in “Emma” Jane Austen said that Cromer in my constituency was

“the best of all the sea-bathing places.”

Does he agree that if Jane Austen were around today, she would be delighted by the recent news that a record seven North Norfolk beaches have excellent water quality, making my whole coastline excellent for all sea bathers?

[Luke Murphy]

I am sure that Austen would agree and, as we do not have a sea coast in Steventon, that she may have admired the hon. Gentleman’s area more than most.

Local children in Steventon still climb the old lime tree where Jane and her brother once played more than two centuries ago—a living reminder of the world that helped to inspire her enduring works. Equally, we still feel Austen’s influence in Basingstoke today. Across the town there are countless reminders of Austen’s legacy, not least the striking bronze statue outside the Willis Museum, created by the brilliant local artist Adam Roud, who is also in the Public Gallery today.

To mark the 250th anniversary of Austen’s birth, Hampshire Cultural Trust is co-ordinating wonderful tours of our area, giving us all the chance to explore the places that shaped her life and work. I am so pleased that Paul and others are here in Parliament today representing the great work that Hampshire Cultural Trust is doing. I also highlight the outstanding work of the Basingstoke Heritage Society, including the research undertaken by Debbie and Joan—who are also in the Public Gallery—into Jane Austen’s life in Basingstoke, which has been vital to preserving and celebrating her legacy in the town. My constituents handed me some helpful maps with points of interest just before the debate, should anyone want to peruse them later.

Right now the Willis Museum at the top of the town is hosting a brilliant exhibition, aptly named “Beyond the Bonnets”, on the women behind Jane Austen, shining a light on the often overlooked working women of the Regency period—the women who restored Elizabeth Bennet’s curls and washed her petticoats after that famous three-mile walk to Netherfield Park; the women who cooked for the Dashwoods at Norland Park; and the many other women whose unseen labour made the stories possible, yet so rarely receive any credit.

As we mark what would have been Jane Austen’s 250th birthday this week, there has never been a more fitting moment to visit Basingstoke and reflect on its place in her story. My sincere thanks go to Tamsin, who is also here today, and her team at Steventon’s Jane Austen 250 for their dedication to celebrating Austen’s legacy in our area, and for helping us all to discover the many ways our town influenced Jane Austen’s life, worldview and writing.

As much as I would like to give Basingstoke full credit as Austen’s muse, her life and literature were of course shaped by so many other places across the UK. Following her father’s retirement, the Austen family relocated to Bath, a setting that inspired “Persuasion” and “Northanger Abbey”. Five years later, after her father’s death, they returned to Hampshire, first to Southampton and then to Chawton. In this period Austen published “Sense and Sensibility”, “Pride and Prejudice”, “Mansfield Park” and “Emma”. Austen spent her final years in Winchester, where she was cared for by Giles Lyford during her illness. She died on 18 July 1817, at the age of 41, and was laid to rest in Winchester cathedral. I am sure the hon. Member for Winchester (Dr Chambers) will comment later, but Austen’s influence in Winchester endures to this day, with the city hosting numerous events that celebrate the life and work of this very special Hampshire-born novelist.

Put simply, Austen reshaped the English novel. She perfected a narrative style that allowed readers to see the world through her heroines’ eyes, pioneering a realism that influenced writers such as Virginia Woolf and timeless narratives that inspired Helen Fielding’s “Bridget Jones” and, indeed, Heckerling’s “Clueless”, one of my favourite films. At its core, Austen’s style was characterised by her ability to weave her quick wit into her nuanced social commentary. Through interactions between her characters, she displayed the complex class dynamics at play at the time, and “Pride and Prejudice” captures it perfectly. The Bennets may belong to the gentry on paper, but at Netherfield Park they are frequently made to feel as though they do not quite belong alongside Mr Darcy and the Bingleys.

The social hierarchies of the period are also evident in the character of Charlotte Lucas from “Pride and Prejudice”—but as a vital means of securing her financial and social future. For many women of the so-called lower classes at the time, marriage was not simply for love; it was a matter of survival. As Austen so aptly reminds us:

“A woman is not to marry a man merely because she is asked, or because he is attached to her”,

but because he can offer her security in a world that grants her few other options. By reflecting real aspects of Regency-era life back to her readers with her flair and humour, Austen was able to endear readers who saw themselves in her characters and entertain those who did not, swiftly gaining her recognition among her contemporaries.

Austen’s novels did more than entertain and enlighten her readers at the time. They also hold up a mirror to us now, revealing much about who we are as a nation today—not least because it is rumoured that the character of Mr Darcy in “Bridget Jones”, Helen Fielding’s modern reimagining of “Pride and Prejudice”, was perhaps inspired by our very own Prime Minister.

On a more serious note, Austen’s novels reveal the foundations that our society is built on today. Her contribution to feminist progress has been raised time and again when I have spoken to constituents, friends and colleagues. In her own lifetime she did not experience much of the autonomy that women today enjoy. She lived under strict legal limitations on women’s rights and within a culture that offered little recognition of women as people in their own right. Women’s voices were rarely platformed, and their lives were often tightly policed—so much so that even showing an ankle was considered improper.

Women were expected to be seen to bolster their husband’s social status, but were never truly heard, treated as secondary citizens under the law of the time. This manifested in Austen’s own life as she initially had to publish under a masculine pseudonym to be taken seriously by contemporaries. Yet in the world she created on the page, Austen centred female voices that had hardly been acknowledged before, and in her own life she broke quiet but powerful barriers. She chose not to marry, rejecting a system that often defined a woman’s worth by her husband.

It is true that Austen did not campaign for women’s suffrage or other forms of reform, but she still did something transformative. Through her stories, she invited her readers to recognise women as full people with ambition, intellect and agency. In doing so, she quietly laid the groundwork for the generations of feminists who would follow. Austen may not have lived to see the freedoms that women now enjoy, but her influence helped to shape them, one honest, courageous sentence at a time. Today, as new barriers to gender equality emerge, including from online radicalisation around the world, her message remains an important reminder to approach politics with a respect for everyone’s humanity.

Jane Austen is not only a cornerstone of our national literary heritage, but a global phenomenon. More than two centuries after her death, her novels continue to inspire readers around the world—from the United States to Japan, India and beyond. Global fan societies, reading groups, academic conferences and adaptations for stage and screen all testify to the extraordinary reach of her work. Austen’s characters, wit and insights into human nature transcend time and place, uniting an international community of admirers who find her writing still speaks powerfully to modern life.

Beyond the far-reaching cultural impact of her work, Austen’s economic legacy also endures. In Hampshire, we enjoy what the Hampshire Cultural Trust calls the “Jane effect”: every year, we welcome millions of visitors who want to experience the landmarks and areas that shaped her writing. Austen continues to inspire devotion from readers all over the world, which in turn supports our local businesses and regional economy. Most notably, this year alone more than 92,000 copies of her novels were sold in the UK—an increase of a third on last year.

Austen’s stories have inspired so many high-grossing films and TV shows spanning decades, helping to sustain a thriving British film industry: de Wilde’s adaptation of “Emma” grossed millions as recently as 2020, and there is a huge buzz around Alderton’s upcoming adaption of “Pride and Prejudice”. To this day, there is still a fierce debate about whether Colin Firth’s or Matthew Macfadyen’s Mr Darcy reigns supreme—

[The Minister of State, Department for Business and Trade (Chris Bryant)]

There is no debate. [Laughter.]

[Luke Murphy]

Does the Minister want to intervene on that point? No? I am sure he will elucidate that in good time.

Austen’s enduring cultural impact is felt not only on a global scale, but powerfully at a local level, where it continues to shape and enrich Basingstoke’s vibrant film and arts scene. From the literary legacy of Jane Austen to the creative energy of today, the town has long sustained a strong and distinctive cultural identity. We are home to nationally recognised venues such as the Anvil, an outstanding concert hall that hosts everything from world-class performances to much-loved community events like the mayor’s variety show, and the Haymarket theatre, which continues to delight audiences with a programme of productions, from the festive sparkle of “The Crooners Christmas Special” and “Aladdin” to a wide range of acclaimed theatrical performances throughout the year.

One incredible show that came out of Basingstoke was our very own Phil Howe’s “Twelve Hours”, which depicts the story of Austen’s infamous short-lived engagement to Harris Bigg-Wither of Manydown. Our creative momentum is further strengthened by the Exit 6 film festival, a flagship Basingstoke event that draws visitors from across the globe and showcases independent short films and emerging filmmakers. Celebrating its 10th edition in 2025, Exit 6 exemplifies Basingstoke’s commitment to nurturing talent, championing new voices and sharing culture with the world. Together, all these institutions and events demonstrate the fact that the town does not simply inherit a cultural legacy but actively lives it, making Basingstoke a compelling and deserving choice for UK town of culture 2029, as I am sure everyone here agrees.

For 250 years, Jane Austen has enriched our literary heritage, our culture and, indeed, our economy through her sharp wit and romanticism, and her ability to capture the enduring nature of human relationships. What are the Government doing to celebrate and promote Jane Austen’s extraordinary legacy? How are we supporting today’s and tomorrow’s generations of female authors and artists? Given the central role that place played in shaping Austen’s life and career, and because it has also been the birthplace of other great British icons such as Burberry, and is now home to the Anvil, the Haymarket and the Proteus, and the Willis Museum, the Milestones Museum and much more, does the Minister agree that Basingstoke would be a deserving winner of the UK town of culture 2029, which is to be decided next year?

Basingstoke represents a notable chapter in Britain’s cultural and economic story, having produced globally recognised figures and brands. I am delighted to see so many colleagues here today to celebrate one of them—Jane Austen—and to acknowledge the vital role that our authors, artists and entrepreneurs play in shaping who we are as a nation.

[Clive Efford (in the Chair)]

I remind Members to bob in their place if they intend to speak in the debate. I want to bring in the Front Benchers at 2.28 pm. I am not going to impose a time limit now, but that will depend on how people behave.

--- Later in debate ---

[Luke Murphy]

It has been a delight to debate this subject under your chairmanship, Mr Efford. I thank all the contributors and the Minister in particular for making himself available to respond to the debate. His speech really highlighted why we should celebrate Jane Austen as an author and all her contributions to the UK. I also thank the Minister for his celebration of reading. My dad passed in the last few weeks, and in the eulogy that I gave about him, I talked about my love of reading and his love of buying books. That really struck a chord with me, because his love of reading inspired both myself and my sister, so I really attached myself to his comments. If I am lucky enough to get the same debate this time next year, I will of course follow his mandate to have read six books in advance.

I thank the shadow Minister, the hon. Member for Old Bexley and Sidcup (Mr French), who attempted his own creative fiction by suggesting that Jane Austen was a Conservative. He also highlighted how she was central to our cultural inheritance. I thank the Liberal Democrat Chief Whip, the hon. Member for North East Fife (Wendy Chamberlain); as well as setting Jane Austen’s work in historical context, she inspired me to consider which literary figures might inspire our own Chief Whip to contribute to a Westminster Hall debate.

I also thank my hon. Friend the Member for East Thanet (Ms Billington), who made a really powerful speech that highlighted structural violence and the conditions of women both today and in Austen’s day. She drew attention to the really important violence against women and girls strategy that was outlined today, and highlighted Austen’s links to Ramsgate. I thank the hon. Member for North Norfolk (Steff Aquarone) for briefly highlighting Jane Austen’s link to Cromer. The right hon. Member for East Hampshire (Damian Hinds) highlighted Austen’s deep links to Chawton and the contribution of many of his constituents to celebrating Jane Austen.

My hon. Friend the Member for Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch (Katrina Murray) highlighted the many Jane Austen spin-offs, including “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies”; the film inspired a conversation this week in my office about how one might survive a zombie apocalypse. My hon. Friend the Member for Carlisle (Ms Minns) gave us a tour of some of her favourite characters, including Elizabeth Bennet, who I know is also the favourite character of Holly in my office, not least because she refused to conform to social norms. My hon. Friend’s reference to quiet rebellion really captured much of Jane Austen’s work.

I pay tribute to the hon. Member for Bath (Wera Hobhouse) for her own very creative update of Jane Austen’s work. Finally, I thank the hon. Member for Winchester (Dr Chambers), who highlighted Jane Austen’s links to his constituency. He was very generous in his praise for my speech; I have to say that the praise should be directed to Holly and Cait in my office, who I believe greatly enjoyed writing the speech.

Briefly, I pay tribute to Lucy Worsley, who is somewhat of an authority on Jane Austen. It is her birthday today, which is why she has not attended the debate—I wish her a happy birthday. I am grateful to all colleagues from across the House for their thoughtful contributions. I am incredibly grateful to all my constituents—Phil, Debbie, Joan, Tamsin, Adam, Paul, Catherine and many more—whose work and dedication ensures that Austen’s story continues to inspire new generations. Today we have helped to not just preserve Jane Austen’s legacy but affirm the enduring value of literature, creativity and the human stories that connect us all.

Question put and agreed to.

That this House has considered the cultural contribution of Jane Austen.