Political lives
Thursday, October 18th, 2007
I hope that Ming Campbell does not think that all political careers end in failure because I suspect that he will be remembered less for his leadership interregnum, but for his important and thoughtful contributions to parliamentary life.
Today there is a memorial service for a remarkable politician, about whom the word failure could never be written. To put his name formally, he is the Rt Hon Lord Renton PC, KBE, TD, QC, DL, who was born in 1908. He was MP for Huntingdonshire from 1945 to 1979 and was a distinguished Government Minister. His successor as MP was John Major, who will give the address. It was he who introduced the young Margaret Roberts to the Bar: as Baroness Thatcher, she will be there too. A vast congregation is expected and I am honoured to have been asked to be an usher.
I played tennis with him when he was 90. He was charming, modest and funny, and if people think that all politicians are unworthy, then the life of David Renton proves the most honourable possible exception to that view.