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David Laws succeeded Paddy Ashdown as MP for Yeovil in 2001 and held the seat until 2015 - below is his personal tribute to the former Liberal Democrat leader, who died on December 22, 2018

In early 1999, Paddy Ashdown announced that he was standing down as Liberal Democrat Leader, and would not contest Yeovil, at the next election.

Wondering if I might put my name forward to be Yeovil’s new MP, I telephoned a friend in Parliament, to ask her advice.

“Hmmmmm,” she said, “I’m not sure you could do the job. Paddy is really quite extraordinary.

"I’ve seen him go into small village halls of angry residents, in the middle of nowhere, to talk about potholes.

"Ten minutes later, his energy has lit up the room, and he has people utterly behind him and captivated by him.

"Soon the potholes are sorted, and he has led everyone on to some higher mission. I doubt you could do that.”

I nursed my wounds. Two hours later, the same friend called back: “I’ve changed my find. It wasn’t a fair test. It’s true that you couldn’t match Paddy, but neither could anyone else.

"Paddy is unique - a truly exceptional man.”

Since Paddy’s death, I have read many of the tributes.

Most speak of his extraordinary career – elite soldier, spy, parliamentary candidate, worker, jobseeker, MP, Party Leader, benign ruler of Bosnia,Lord, elder statesman, author. There was almost no national honour that was not bestowed on him – though I believe he prized having served as Yeovil’s MP beyond all these.

It was a stunning career – of a man who always sought and succeeded in making a difference, both at a personal and local level, and on the national and international stage.

But those who knew Paddy best, most valued his personal qualities, not the titles or impressive CV.

He was a voracious worker, a natural leader, a person of great courage and conviction, and of a generous, compassionate and progressive spirit. He was, also, a deeply loyal friend and loving family man.

Politics is generally a profession of long hours and hard work, in spite of its reputation. But even in this field, Paddy was exceptional. Work was completed swiftly, with ruthless efficiency.

Party conference speeches had reached draft number 20, a month before they were needed. No holiday of his was ever truly a rest. No hour in the morning was too early for an urgent call, no time at night too late.

Indeed, Paddy once asked me to keep my pager to hand after 2am, in case he needed to be in touch “around 3am”!

And he never, ever, stopped. I remember telling him, after we had completed one lengthy five-hour Advice Centre in Yeovil on a Saturday, that I was going home to see a rugby match on TV.

“What!”, he said, “Spend over two hours doing nothing but watching sport?”

He was genuinely mystified that anyone could want to stop productive work for so long.

That takes us to Paddy’s second great quality – he was not one of life’s spectators. He was a player, a participant, a natural leader. If he was at a rugby match (unlikely) it would only be as a participant – on the pitch, in the middle of the pack, fighting hard to grab the ball and win the game.

As a soldier, his men – it was said – used to follow him anywhere – “out of curiosity!”.

In politics, too, he was a leader – never one to duck decisions, or follow the crowd, or wait until he had an opportunity to see which way the winds of public opinion were blowing.

He carefully thought through the issues, before reaching his decisions. But once he was decided, he could not be budged – and he raised banners which others could rally to.

The causes were not always popular ones. Offering refuge to citizens of Hong Kong. Support for the European Union. Endlessly raising Bosnia in the House of Commons, when his colleagues wanted him to address more vote-winning campaigns.

These, then, were causes that he was often jeered for supporting – in the unforgiving bear-pit of the House of Commons, or the often vicious pages of some tabloid newspapers.

But a man who had conquered real fear on the battlefield was never going to be deterred by mere noise.

Paddy was not a religious man, but it seemed to me that the causes which he chose to make his own were informed by the best and most generous of the Christian principles – “love thy neighbour as thyself”.

He was not a class warrior or, god forbid, anything other than a patriot.

But he was usually to be found on the side of the weaker members of society, against the big battalions and special interests.

And though he was deeply loyal to his own country, his sense of generosity and humanity did not end at our national borders.

He was a strong supporter of the European Union – not always popular in his own constituency.

And he fought as hard for the rights and freedoms of people oppressed overseas, as he did for those needing help in our own country.

He was a great internationalist, but he was definitely not what Theresa May recently described as a “citizen of nowhere.”

He knew where his own roots and home were – and more important to him than Westminster, Brussels or even Bosnia, were Somerset and his beloved village of Norton-sub-Hamdon, where he will now rest, close to family and friends.

(Image: Len Copland)

And, finally, but also before anything else, Paddy was a deeply loyal friend, and a loving family man.

Whatever the pressures, family and friends – in that order, were the most important elements of his life.

Towards the end, his exceptional qualities did not fade. He fought for the causes he believed in, here and abroad.

He wrote great books. He went on battling to protect jobs in Yeovil’s helicopter industry, and continued to champion the Liberal Democrat cause in and beyond Yeovil.

He never stopped working at his whirlwind pace. When the news of his cancer was first public, I e-mailed him a supportive message. He was seriously ill, and no doubt inundated with similar communications.

I expected no response, or perhaps a delay of a few days. Not a bit of it. He replied - precisely nine minutes later!

Short, business-like, crisp, and with not a hint of self-pity.

This week, his family, friends, and many constituents, will celebrate the extraordinary life, character, and public contribution of Paddy Ashdown.

He will long be remembered, with respect and deep affection. My friend was right. We have lost, and now celebrate the memory of, a truly exceptional man.

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