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Sir Bob RussellMember of Parliament for Colchester since 1997 |
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Sir Bob sings praises of Lloyd George
February 20, 2012 2:12 PM
David Lloyd George
It was a rare weekend away from Colchester for Town MP Sir Bob Russell - he was in mid-Wales where he was the guest speaker at the Annual Weekend School of the Lloyd George Society named in honour of Britain's last Liberal Prime Minister, Welshman Lloyd George who was an MP for Carnarvon Boroughs for 55 years until 1945.
Sir Bob said: "It was a considerable honour to be invited to speak at this prestigious event. Lloyd George was a great Prime Minister, arguably the man who pioneered either side of the First World War what later became the Welfare State."
His speech was variously humorous and serious, combining light-hearted comments alongside the historic perspective of Lloyd George's achievements which he said still resonated in the opening decades of the 21st Century as much as they did 100 years ago.
Sir Bob pointed out that Lloyd George had attended the 1922 Colchester Oyster Feast, the year in which he stood down as Prime Minister after six years.
Although primarily an event for Liberal Democrat historians and academics, others present included the Secretary of State for Wales, the Rt Hon Cheryl Gillan, who at an earlier session had spoken as a Conservative member of the Coalition Government about Wales and the UK.
The next morning Sir Bob took part in a debate when he spoke against the Motion "Is it time to abolish the British monarchy?" His arguments prevailed, and the Motion was heavily defeated.
Although the weekend was centred on Welsh Liberalism, held in the spa town of Llandrindod Wells in rural mid-Wales, Sir Bob used the monarchy debate to wear his latest waistcoat made by a family friend, Mrs Margaret Marchant. It is the eighth one she has made for him. This one features the "Colchester tartan", specially designed for the Colchester Scottish Pipe and Drum Band who gave him some of the material for the waistcoat.
Sir Bob said: "An English MP wearing a Scottish-themed tartan waistcoat speaking at an event in Wales in support of the British monarchy seemed to be a good combination."