Camron Aref-Adib speaking in the council chamber last night (Monday)

LABOUR councillor Camron Aref-Adib quoted Clement Attlee at Monday’s full council meeting as he tried to explain the late monarch’s role.

He was speaking as Camden Council held a special all-member meeting last night (Monday) in which councillors, aldermen, members of the public and Town Hall staff paid tribute to the Queen.

Here’s what Cllr Aref-Adib said:

“I’VE got no personal anecdote from the Queen. I never saw her from afar and indeed in a room full of people with super impressive MBEs, My great connection to the royal family was that I did the Duke of Edinburgh bronze award as a 16-year-old. I still have that certificate, and I think it was signed by Prince Charles.

I’m sure I speak on behalf of a lot of people and including young people, that you sort of feel like you somehow knew her.

As if that she was mother to the nation, no matter your age, no matter your ethnicity, and perhaps it was because she was so ingrained in our British DNA. It’s almost rather strange and if we saw this in another country, we’d probably look upon it perplexed.

But to be honest, more than anything, it’s a testament to the person she was. It wasn’t her role that inspired this level of devotion, it was the person. In the words of the late Labour leader Clement Attlee, ‘a monarch is a kind of referee’.

And I think we can all agree that the Queen was the epitome of neutrality, enabling her to be the bedrock of consistency in our ever changing political landscape. And to put into context with just how long that she served us.

She reigned for nearly 30 per cent of the US’s existence, nearly half of Canada’s existence. And my personal favourite: she was alive for every single World Cup. That’s absolutely bonkers.”