Gareth Wyn Williams, Baron Williams of Mostyn, (5 February 1941 – 20 September 2003) was a Welsh barrister and Labour politician who was Leader of the House of Lords, Lord President of the Council and a member of the Cabinet from 2001 until his sudden death in 2003. He played an important role in the Northern Ireland peace process.

Early life

Williams was born near Prestatyn, in North Wales, a son of Albert Thomas Williams and his wife Selina, née Evans. He was educated at Rhyl Grammar School and at Queens' College, Cambridge. a Deputy High Court Judge, 1986–92, the Leader of the Wales and Chester Circuit, 1987–89, and became an opposition spokesman in the House of Lords on Legal Affairs and later Northern Ireland. After Labour's election victory he was appointed a Home Office minister and played a role in securing the permanent Provisional IRA ceasefire of 1997 during the Northern Ireland peace process. In 1999 he became Attorney General for England and Wales and Northern Ireland. He was appointed Leader of the House of Lords in 2001, initially with the sinecure office of Lord Privy Seal, for which Lord President of the Council was substituted in 2003.

Reputation among his colleagues

As part of the celebrations to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Life Peerages Act, Lord Williams was voted by the current members of the House of Lords as the outstanding life peer since the creation of the life peerage. In his book A View from the Foothills Chris Mullin wrote that he thought that Gareth Williams was most likely to succeed Derry Irvine as Lord Chancellor; in the event the position was next filled by Charles Falconer.

Personal life

Williams married Pauline Clarke in 1962, and they had three children. They divorced, and he then married Veena M. Russell in 1994, and by her had one daughter, Imogen.

Arms

References

Bibliography

  • Burke's Peerage & Baronetage (106th edition, 1999) edited by Charles Mosley
  • "Interview: Lord Williams" – Guardian Unlimited Politics interview with Lord Williams by Julian Glover, dated Friday, 28 June 2002, giving the peer's views on reform of the House of Lords
  • Profile, Dictionary of Welsh Biography. Accessed 30 January 2023.

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