Gareth Williams, Baron Williams of Mostyn
Gareth Wyn Williams, Baron Williams of Mostyn, PC, QC (5 February 1941 – 20 September 2003), was a Welsh barrister and Labour politician who was Leader of the House of Lords, Lord President of the Council and a member of the Cabinet from 2001 until his sudden death in 2003.
The Lord Williams of Mostyn | |
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| Leader of the House of Lords | |
| In office 8 June 2001 – 20 September 2003 | |
| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | The Baroness Jay of Paddington |
| Succeeded by | The Baroness Amos |
| Lord President of the Council | |
| In office 13 June 2003 – 20 September 2003 | |
| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | John Reid |
| Succeeded by | The Baroness Amos |
| Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal | |
| In office 8 June 2001 – 13 June 2003 | |
| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | The Baroness Jay of Paddington |
| Succeeded by | Peter Hain |
| Attorney General for England and Wales Attorney General for Northern Ireland | |
| In office 29 July 1999 – 8 June 2001 | |
| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | John Morris |
| Succeeded by | The Lord Goldsmith |
| Deputy Leader of the House of Lords | |
| In office October 1998 – June 2001 | |
| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Leader | The Baroness Jay of Paddington |
| Preceded by | The Baroness Jay of Paddington |
| Succeeded by | The Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean |
| Minister of State for Prisons | |
| In office 28 July 1998 – 28 July 1999 | |
| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | Joyce Quin |
| Succeeded by | Charles Clarke |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Home Affairs | |
| In office 2 May 1997 – 28 July 1998 | |
| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | Tom Sackville |
| Succeeded by | Kate Hoey |
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal | |
| In office 20 July 1992 – 20 September 2003 Life Peerage | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 5 February 1941 Prestatyn, United Kingdom |
| Died | 20 September 2003 (aged 62) Gloucestershire, United Kingdom |
| Political party | Labour |
| Alma mater | Queens' College, Cambridge |
Early life
Williams was born near Prestatyn, in North Wales, a son of Albert Thomas Williams and his wife Selina, née Evans. He was educated at Rhyl Grammar School and at Queens' College, Cambridge.
Legal career
He had a successful legal career, having been called to the bar at Gray's Inn in 1965,[1] taking silk in 1978,[1] being a Recorder in 1978–2003,[2] being a Deputy High Court Judge, being the Leader of the Wales and Chester Circuit in 1987–89,[1] and was a Member of the Bar Council in 1986-92[1] and became the Chairman in 1992.[1]
Political career
He was created a life peer on 20 July 1992 as Baron Williams of Mostyn, of Great Tew in the County of Oxfordshire,[3] and became an opposition spokesman in the House of Lords on Legal Affairs, and later Northern Ireland. After Labour's election victory he was appointed a Home Office minister, and in 1999 became Attorney General for England and Wales and Northern Ireland. He was appointed Leader of the House of Lords in 2001, initially with the sinecure office of Lord Privy Seal, for which Lord President of the Council was substituted in 2003.
Reputation among his colleagues
As part of the celebrations to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Life Peerages Act, Lord Williams was voted by the current members of the House of Lords as the outstanding life peer since the creation of the life peerage.[4] In his book A View from the Foothills Chris Mullin wrote that he thought that Gareth Williams was most likely to succeed Derry Irvine as Lord Chancellor; the position was ultimately fulfilled by Charles Falconer.[5]
Personal life
Williams married, firstly, in 1962, Pauline Clarke, daughter of Ernest Clarke, and by her had two daughters, Martha (born 1973) and Emma (born 1976), and a son, Daniel (born 1981). They divorced, and he married, secondly, in 1994, Veena M. Russell, and by her had one daughter, Imogen.
Death
He collapsed and died suddenly at his home in Gloucestershire, at the age of 62. He was survived by his four children.
Coat of arms
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References
- "Obituary: Lord Williams of Mostyn". The Independent. 21 September 2003. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
- "No. 47569". The London Gazette. 16 June 1978. p. 7315.
- "No. 53009". The London Gazette. 4 August 1992. p. 13149.
- "Former Lords leader honoured with award". Yahoo/Epolitix. Retrieved 20 July 2008.
- Mullin, Chris (2009). "Monday 7 January 2002". A View from the Foothills: The Diaries of Chris Mullin. Profile Books. p. 248. ISBN 978-1-84668-230-8.
Bibliography
- Burke's Peerage & Baronetage (106th edition, 1999) edited by Charles Mosley
External links
- "Interview: Lord Williams" - Guardian Unlimited Politics interview with Lord Williams by Julian Glover, dated Friday, 28 June 2002, giving the peer's views on reform of the House of Lords
- "Leader of House of Lords dies" - BBC News article, dated Saturday, 20 September 2003
- "Lords loses smooth operator" - BBC News article, dated Saturday, 20 September 2003
- "Tributes to a superb wit" - BBC News article, dated Saturday, 20 September 2003
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by The Baroness Jay of Paddington |
Deputy Leader of the House of Lords 1998–2001 |
Succeeded by The Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean |
| Preceded by John Morris |
Attorney General for England and Wales 1999–2001 |
Succeeded by The Lord Goldsmith |
| Attorney General for Northern Ireland 1999–2001 | ||
| Preceded by The Baroness Jay of Paddington |
Lord Privy Seal 2001–2003 |
Succeeded by Peter Hain |
| Leader of the House of Lords 2001–2003 |
Succeeded by The Baroness Amos | |
| Preceded by John Reid |
Lord President of the Council 2003 | |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by The Baroness Jay of Paddington |
Leader of the Labour Party in the House of Lords 2001–2003 |
Succeeded by The Baroness Amos |
| Academic offices | ||
| Preceded by Cledwyn Hughes |
Pro-Chancellor of the University of Wales 1994–2003 |
Succeeded by Dafydd Wigley |
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