Sir Bob Russell pays tribute to 'inspirational' Shirley Williams

Lib Dem peer Baroness Shirley Williams died in her sleep at the age of 90.

Baroness Williams, who dedicated 60 years to public service, first stood for office as a Labour candidate during the 1954 by-election in the then Harwich constituency standing against the Conservative Sir Julian Ridsdale.

She stood in the same seat in 1955, again unsuccessfully, before first being elected as MP for Hitchin in Hertfordshire in 1964.

Tributes - Baroness Shirley Williams, who started her career in north Essex, has died. Picture: PA Archive

Mrs Williams served in the Labour governments of Harold Wilson and James Callaghan during the 1970s, including as Education Secretary.

However in 1981, having become disillusioned with Labour’s drift to the left under Michael Foot, she was one of the original Gang of Four to leave the party to form the new centrist SDP.

Colchester’s former Lib Dem MP and Colchester High Steward Sir Bob Russell first met her during his time as a member of the SDP.

Tributes - Baroness Shirley Williams, who started her political career in the 1954 Harwich by-election, has died aged 90

He said: “When I joined the SDP in May 1981, I was delighted to receive a phone call from her at my home to welcome me into Britain’s newest political party.

“As she lived in East Anglia, I got to meet her many times both before and during my time as MP for Colchester.

“I have happy memories of her opening a huge Christmas bazaar which Colchester SDP held in the Moot Hall.

“Another time, she came to a social gathering organised by the New Town Ward branch of the SDP.

“I have equally happy memories of an evening when the Liberal Democrat Party’s annual conference was held in Liverpool.

“Leaving an evening meeting on one occasion she suggested we should go for a drink which we did, in the bar-restaurant of her hotel where we chatted for the best part of an hour putting the world to rights.

“When I was Publicity Officer at the University of Essex, Baroness Williams was the guest speaker so I made a point of being there to meet her and chat.

“She then entrusted me to look after her handbag while she addressed the meeting. I was amused by that.”

Tributes - Baroness Shirley Williams, who started her career in north Essex, has died. Picture: PA Archive

After the SDP failed to make the electoral breakthrough its founders had hoped for, Baroness Williams became an advocate of merger with the Liberals in what eventually became the current Liberal Democrat Party.

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In 1993, she was made a life peer, finally retiring as the party’s leader in the House of Lords in 2004.

Sir Bob said: “She was an inspirational politician, and someone who I regarded as a friend. She was always supportive of me, for which I am most grateful.”