Elystan Morgan, Baron Elystan-Morgan
Dafydd Elystan Elystan-Morgan, Baron Elystan-Morgan (7 December 1932 – 7 July 2021), known as Elystan Morgan, was a British politician.[1] He sat as a Crossbencher in the House of Lords from 1981 to 2020, and served as a Labour MP from 1966 to 1974.[2]
The Lord Elystan-Morgan | |
|---|---|
| File:Elystan Morgan.JPG | |
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal | |
| In office 27 May 1981 – 12 February 2020 Life Peerage | |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Home Affairs | |
| In office 6 April 1968 – 19 June 1970 Serving with David Ennals and Merlyn Rees | |
| Prime Minister | Harold Wilson |
| Preceded by | Dick Taverne |
| Succeeded by | Mark Carlisle |
| Member of Parliament for Ceredigion | |
| In office 31 March 1966 – 28 February 1974 | |
| Preceded by | Roderic Bowen |
| Succeeded by | Geraint Howells |
| In office 5 February 2015 – 7 July 2021 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Dafydd Elystan Morgan 7 December 1932 |
| Died | 7 July 2021 (aged 88) |
| Nationality | Welsh |
| Spouse(s) | Alwen Roberts (1959–2006) |
| Children | Eleri Elystan Morgan (b. 1960), Owain Elystan Morgan (b. 1962) |
| Parents | Dewi Morgan (1877–1971) and Olwen Jones (1900–1947) |
| Residence | 'Carreg Afon', Dole, Ceredigion, Wales |
| Education | Ardwyn Grammar School |
| Alma mater | University College of Wales, Aberystwyth |
| Occupation | Judge and politician |
Early life
Morgan was educated at Ardwyn Grammar School, Aberystwyth and the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth. He became a solicitor.
Political career
Originally a Plaid Cymru candidate, Morgan contested Wrexham three times, at the by-election in 1955, and at the general elections in 1955 and in 1959, and contested Merioneth at the general election in 1964.
Morgan joined the Labour Party and was elected Member of Parliament for Cardiganshire, Wales at the 1966 general election, and served as a junior minister from 1968 to 1970, as Under-Secretary at the Home Office. He was chairman of the Welsh Parliamentary Labour Party between 1971 and 1974. In the February 1974 general election, Morgan lost his seat to the Liberal, Geraint Howells.
In 1979, he sought election as Labour candidate for Anglesey, following the retirement of Cledwyn Hughes, but was defeated by the Conservative, Keith Best. Following his defeat, he largely withdrew from political life and concentrated on his legal career.
He was admitted to Gray's Inn in 1971, entitled to practise as a barrister. He was created a Life peer on 27 May 1981, with the title Baron Elystan-Morgan, of Aberteifi in the County of Dyfed.[3] He held the office of Recorder between 1983 and 1987. Morgan held the office of Circuit Judge between 1987 and 2003.
On 6 March 2007, Morgan supported the abolition of the blasphemy laws of the UK, quoting Richard Dawkins' description of God as "a petty, unjust, unforgiving control freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully". A deacon in the Presbyterian Church of Wales at Capel-y-Garn in Pen-y-garn, he was making the point that God did not need the protection of the law.[4]
He retired from the House of Lords on 12 February 2020.[5]
Personal life
In 1959, Morgan married Alwen Roberts. They had two children, a daughter called Eleri born in 1960 and a son, Owain, born in 1962. Lady Elystan-Morgan died in 2006.[6]
Morgan died on 7 July 2021 at the age of 88.[7]
Works
- Elystan : atgofion oes (in Cymraeg). Talybont, Ceredigion: Y Lolfa. 2012. ISBN 9781847713278. – Memoirs
References
- ↑ "Mr Elystan Morgan (Hansard)". api.parliament.uk. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
- ↑ "Lord Elystan-Morgan criticises bill to reduce MPS". BBC News. 16 January 2011. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-12202099.
- ↑ No. 48624. 1 June 1981. p. 7455. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/48624/page/7455
- ↑ "Lord Elystan-Morgan's reforming roots". 27 July 2010.
- ↑ "Lord Elystan-Morgan". UK Parliament. Retrieved 14 February 2020.
- ↑ 'Elystan-Morgan, Baron (Morgan) (Life Baron 1981)' in Debrett's Peerage & Baronetage (online edition, accessed 23 January 2012), P484
- ↑ "Lord Elystan-Morgan, campaigner for Welsh devolution, dies". BBC News. 7 July 2021. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-57748140. "He died peacefully in his sleep with his family at his side on Wednesday morning".
- House of Lords: alphabetical list of Members Link to page with Lord Elystan-Morgan's details
- Times Guide to the House of Commons, 1966 and October 1974
- Sir Emyr Jones Parry appointed President of the University University of Aberystwyth, 5 July 2007
External links
- Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Elystan Morgan
| Parliament of the United Kingdom (1801–present) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Roderic Bowen |
Member of Parliament for Cardiganshire 1966 – February 1974 |
Succeeded by Geraint Howells |
| Academic offices | ||
| Preceded by Melvin Rosser |
President of the University of Wales Aberystwyth 1997–2007 |
Succeeded by Emyr Jones Parry |