§ Lord CarterMy Lords, the House will be aware that during the Easter Recess we heard the sad news of the death of Lord Harris of Greenwich, the Liberal Democrat Chief Whip. I hope that your Lordships will not object to my taking a few moments, as the Government Chief Whip, to express the sympathy of these Benches to the colleagues and family of Lord Harris.
I got to know John Harris well in my four years as Government Chief Whip. In that time I found him a doughty defender of Liberal Democrat interests, a tough but scrupulously fair negotiator, and a thoroughly decent person with whom to do business.
He had a distinguished career on the left of centre of British politics, and recent obituaries have indicated the crucial role that he played behind the scenes and in many important political issues over the past four decades. British politics have lost someone who was a good servant to political life and the House has lost a Member who contributed greatly to its standing. I know that I speak for all noble Lords when I express our deep sympathy to his wife, Angela, and to his children.
§ Lord HenleyMy Lords, as another member of the usual channels, perhaps I may associate myself very 2 warmly with the remarks of the Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms. We on this side of the House also had a great respect for the services that Lord Harris of Greenwich gave to this country as a Minister, to this House and to the Liberal Democrat Party.
As the noble Lord, Lord Carter, said, he was a strong defender of his party's corner, but he always behaved with integrity when he reached a clear understanding in the usual channels. He and I did not necessarily always agree—particularly when he was pursuing a line different from my own—but on those occasions when we were acting in concert I could always rely on his robustness in argument and on the iron discipline with which he marshalled his troops on the Liberal Democrat Benches.
Many Peers, on all sides, will have admired the immense and often moving courage with which John Harris faced up to his final illness and his determination to end his days in harness and, dare I say it, with cigar in hand. We will long remember him.
I join the noble Lord, Lord Carter, in expressing our sympathy, above all, to his wife, to his family and to his many party colleagues in this House, who will feel a great sense of loss today when they look to his accustomed place on the Front Bench and find him gone.
§ Lord Jenkins of HillheadMy Lords, John Harris was a notable Member of your Lordships' House for 27 years. I was fortunate enough to work very closely with him for even longer—for 36 years, to be precise. He was to me a counsellor of buoyancy, humour, flair and instinctive political wisdom, whose presence in any moment of bafflement—and there were many moments of bafflement in ministerial and political life—not only shone a clear light of good sense but made vicissitudes more bearable.
As the noble Lord, Lord Henley, has touched upon, more vivid to most of your Lordships will be his extraordinary courage during his last years and, 3 indeed, days. He got the most out of life even when he was under sentence of death. He is a loss to us all and he was a model to us all in that respect.
§ Lord Craig of RadleyMy Lords, obituaries can often reveal far more about their subject than many of us are ever likely to know. For me, that was certainly true of Lord Harris. He had a wide and involved career in the political mainstream and clearly loved it, as he came to love this place too. Outstanding in his final years here were his courage and fortitude. He continued to the last to give of his time and energy. The words used in one obituary—never flinch, never weary, never despair—very aptly describe his tenacity of purpose.
The House has lost another fine Member and parliamentarian. On behalf of all Cross-Bench Peers and myself, I extend our sincerest condolences and sympathy to his wife and family.