Former Labour MP Elystan Morgan who fought for devolution has died
Former Labour MP Elystan Morgan has died aged 88.
Baron Dafydd Elystan-Morgan sat as a Crossbencher in the House of Lords from 1981 to 2021, and served like a Labour MP from 1966 to 1974.
Educated in Aberystwyth he originally stood like a Plaid Cymru candidate, contesting Wrexham 3 times and Merioneth in 1964.
He joined Labour and was elected as MP for Cardiganshire in 1966, becoming a junior minister from 1968 to 1970 as under-secretary in the Home Office.
He was chairman from the Welsh Parliamentary Labour Party between 1971 and 1974. He led the campaign for devolution in 1979.
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In 1971 he was admitted to Gray's Inn and entitled to practice as a barrister, later sitting as Recorder and Circuit Judge between 1987 and 2003.
As a lawyer, he defended David Walters and David Pritchard, who had attempted to steer clear of the flooding from the Tryweryn valley to create a reservoir by damaging equipment on the website.
Married to Alwen Roberts, the pair had two children.
First Minister Mark Drakeford said: “My thoughts are today with Lord Elystan-Morgan's family following the sad news of his death. He would be a fierce and dedicated campaigner for devolution, his tireless work laid the foundations for the Senedd we have today.
“He had one of the biggest reaches in Welsh political life having a range that goes to his election in the 1960s. He'd a massive breadth of understanding of issues faced by Wales, especially rural Welsh-speaking communities, that they represented.”
Former Labour MP Ann Clwyd tweeted: "Sad to learn of the death of Lord Elystan Morgan -a friend well over Six decades. Fought the corner for Wales fiercely all his life. Is going to be much missed."
Paul Davies, former leader from the Conservative group in the Senedd and MS for Preseli Pembrokeshire tweeted: "Very sad to listen to this news. Even though my father was a staunch Conservative, he always used to say that Elystan Morgan was the best constituency MP Cardiganshire ever endured."
Labour MS Alun Davies said hello was incredibly sad news and that he was "among the giants" of Welsh Labour.
"Newyddion trist iawn. Roedd Elystan un o'r cewri hanes Llafur Cymru," he tweeted.
Plaid Cymru MP Ben Lake said: "Ceredigion has today lost one of her brightest sons. Lord Elystan Morgan would be a rare estimate the political world: a statesman of intellect and integrity.
"He always made his case by having an eloquence founded on an unshakeable belief in the merits, and a masterful understanding of the detail.
"His convenience of kindness and good humour, even throughout the most divisive and heated political debates, is something to which we should all aspire. On behalf of Plaid Cymru, we send our deepest condolences to his friends and family."
