30 years of the Spice Girls

That this House congratulates the Spice Girls on 30 years since the release of their debut single Wannabe on 8 July 1996, which reached number one in 37 countries and launched one of the most remarkable careers in British music; celebrates three decades in which Victoria Beckham, Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell Horner became the best-selling girl group of all time, selling over 100 million records worldwide and achieving nine UK number one singles and two UK number one albums, including beloved hits such as Say You'll Be There, 2 Become 1 and Spice Up Your Life; recognises that their message of Girl Power inspired and empowered a generation of young women, both across the world and within our local communities, championing confidence, ambition and solidarity at a formative moment in many young lives; acknowledges their lasting influence on British popular culture, on the generations of artists who have followed them, and on the global standing of UK music; and concludes that three decades later, the Spice Girls look very well placed to make it last forever.