North Wales MS Mark Isherwood told heart-warming stories of times spent with the late Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas as Senedd Members paid tribute to the Former Plaid Cymru leader and Senedd Presiding Officer at the start of today’s proceedings in the Welsh Parliament.
Mr Isherwood started by recalling the first time he met Lord Elis-Thomas and told Members how he had encouraged him as a Welsh Conservative candidate.
He also revealed how they often socialised together after Plenary meetings at “the Tuesday night club in the tea-room”.
He said:
“I first met Dafydd in person when I was a candidate for the 2003 election, some months before that election when I was speaking at a hustings, I think in Coleg Llandrillo, if I remember correctly, and I could see this smiling face in the audience surrounded by students and staff as myself and the other candidates were grilled on myriad matters.
“Afterwards, after the proceedings ended, he made a beeline for me and very modestly introduced himself, as if I wouldn't know who he was, and to my pleasant surprise encouraged me as a Welsh Conservative, and said 'I want to see you in the Assembly', because he wanted that open, inclusive, democratic institution where we had real scrutiny, accountability and proper, engaging cross-party politics, but he also wanted the people there who he felt could deliver that. I don't wish to sound immodest, I'm just flattered that he encouraged me at that point. And, of course, when I arrived, he was one of the very first people to come up and welcome me.”
He added:
“Some of the longer serving Members, perhaps including the current Llywydd, may recall that, in those days, there was a Tuesday night club in the tea room, as we still called it, which was a convivial gathering of cross-party politicians, some civil servants and journalists, usually quite a large number of us, and it was always pleasant; it was always friendly. The rule was: nothing ever the left that room. So, we could have open, honest conversations without the Party Politics, on any matter under the sun, whilst sampling a few glasses of wine together. And I sampled many glasses of wine with Dafydd and others, and we were a group of friends. We weren't always political allies, but we were a group of friends, and we built up a trust between ourselves.”
Mr Isherwood also recalled the time Lord Elis-Thomas won the best dressed Politician of the Year Award and the time he kicked Members out of the old Chamber for being “boisterous” after a lunchtime reception for the Campaign for Real Ale, where free samples were given.
He went on to refer to his time as Minister for Culture, Tourism and Sport, and how he helped secure funding for the refurbishment of Theatr Clwyd, and recalled a visit they made to Gwrych Castle in Abergele where “he was more fascinated by the history of the building, the architecture of the building, than actually the real reason we were there”.
He said:
“A few weeks ago, I had a formal visit to Theatr Clwyd, to look at the refurbishment, but I remember going to Dafydd, privately, when they were seeking the funding they needed to make that happen. And, yes, other funding came in later, including some small funding from the UK Government, but if Dafydd hadn't taken that on board, that wonderful new refurbishment wouldn't be happening.”
He added:
“So, Dafydd, I'm sure, like many others have said, you will be greatly missed, but it was a privilege and a pleasure to know you. And again, like others, I send my thoughts to Mair and the family at this time of terrible loss.”
Photo Credit: BBC News