Hundreds pay respects to first deaf MP Lord Jack Ashley of Stoke
SENIOR politicians joined celebrities, media personalities and hundreds of ordinary people in London to pay homage to a pioneering MP who represented Stoke-on-Trent for many years.
A memorial service in honour of Lord Jack Ashley of Stoke took place yesterday at the Church House conference venue in the grounds of Westminster Abbey.
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MEMORIAL SERVICE: Lord Jack Ashley
The former Stoke South MP, who is perhaps best remembered as the first deaf MP and a tireless campaigner for disabled rights, died in April aged 89.
Figures from across the political spectrum were present at the service which had been organised by members of Lord Ashley's family along TV presenter Esther Rantzen.
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Among those paying tribute were Labour leader Ed Miliband and former Labour leader Lord Neil Kinnock of Bedwellty who described Lord Ashley as a 'hero'.
Also in attendance were many Labour front benchers including Ed Balls, Yvette Cooper and Jack Straw along with veteran politicians such as Lord Alf Morris of Manchester and Baroness Betty Boothroyd.
The service included a slideshow of images chronicling Lord Ashley's political life and many from his family album as well as glowing tributes from friends, colleagues and ordinary people who had benefited from his campaigns.
To rapturous applause it was announced at the climax of the service that the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, would be launching the annual Lord Jack Ashley Memorial Disability Lecture in August.
Comments
by camband
Tuesday, July 03 2012, 6:45PM
“@ -ghosts -"what exactly does "ordinary people" mean ?.....what a stupid statement...." unquote.
I suppose they mean people out of work. Then there's the 'extraordinary people' -such as Johnny 'come lately' Larschott and his side kick Mohammed 'the great pretender' Pervez.... both most extraordinary indeed.
The ones inbetween, the average working man, well, they are just fodder.”
by jackjones666
Tuesday, July 03 2012, 3:31PM
“chizmarkthree, great how you use a dead guy to shove your political beliefs on people. Loser.”
by chizmarkthree
Tuesday, July 03 2012, 1:52PM
“Jack Ashley was one of the greatest politicians this country ever had.If Labour had more like him today they would walk in at the next General Election and dispatch lightweights like Cameron and Clegg to the Political dustbin where they belong.R.I.P,Jack.”
by Focus386
Tuesday, July 03 2012, 12:29PM
“Never agreed with Jack's colour of politics, but always respected the man for the way he never let his deafness get in the way way of doing his job and doing it well...many of todays so called MP's could learn a few lessons from such a man..”
by ghosts
Tuesday, July 03 2012, 12:08PM
“what exactly does "ordinary people" mean ?.....what a stupid statement....”