Thank you for everything Dame Shirley Williams.

I was so sad to hear of the death of  Dame Shirley Williams yesterday. She has been a hero of mine for as long as I can remember.

She certainly was a ‘true  trailblazer’ as she was one of the first women to hold cabinet office. James Callaghan appointed her as Secretary of State for Education and Science in 1976. 

Try as I might I can’t find the exact quote so I shall have to paraphrase: we have dug up the tree of education so many times to examine its roots, is it any wonder that it is not flourishing?….come to think of it, she could have said this on one of her many appearances on ‘Question Time’. She is assured of a place in our hearts with her insights: ‘We really shouldn’t be running education like a supermarket where you compare prices’ and her championing of the comprehensive system. 

Oh Shirley what might have been though? Had you stepped up to leadership as you were urged to do when you, as one of  the Gang of Four, formed the Social Democratic Party in 1988? 

I have read that ‘colleagues’ felt she was disorganised; a poor timekeeper and indecisive. Let’s not forget that she was struggling in her personal life juggling, as so many women do, child care, the breakup of her marriage and public office.

Maybe on ‘Desert Island Discs’ I heard her compare herself unfavourably with the impressive male political  and public figures she grew up with. She did not think she was in the same league as them. I honestly believe had she reached the top of ‘the greasy pole of Westminster’ she could have been our very own Jacinda Ardern.

I am sure we would be living in a much less divided country.

She  was judged as lacking the necessary ego, ambition and ruthlessness required to reach the top. So what does that say about the current leadership?

People have praised her intellect, wisdom and generosity. She was a tremendous public inspiration and communicator; someone capable of seeing both sides of the argument. I don't know about you, but these are the qualities I would look for in any leader.

The Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey summed our loss up beautifully:

‘Political life will be poorer without her intellect. Shirley had a limitless empathy only too rare in politics today; she connected with people, cared about their lives and saw politics as a crucial tool to change lives for the better.’

What a shame that you could not see what others saw in you Dame Shirley.

Thank you for the inspiration, wisdom and empathy. I am proud to be a ‘bleeding heart Liberal’