A natural leader who encouraged cooperation

We knew he was stricken with one of the worst cancers, but even so the death of Paddy Ashdown came as a shock. It must be especially hard for Jane and the rest of the Ashdown family at this season when families traditionally come together.

The Liberal Democrat membership had its little grumbles about Paddy. As leader, he would occasionally make policy "on the hoof" and expect it to be endorsed afterwards - which it generally was. He was seen as being too close to Tony Blair. Though he denied it at the time, he and Blair had serious discussions about a realignment in the centre ground of British politics. But that was the only deception I can recall in an arena where deception is sadly taken for granted. Other colleagues and political opponents have praised his honesty and directness. I would like to think that he would have kept faith with the NUS if he had been leader in 2010.

He may have been impatient with the way politics were, but he genuinely tried to take people with him. He streamlined party organisation. He opened himself up to the membership through computer bulletin boards in the days before the Internet became ubiquitous. (Indeed, he was almost certainly the first MP to bring a personal computer on to the Westminster estate.)

The BBC headlines have been about his political impact, but if he had never entered parliament his was a remarkable and fulfilled life. One trusts that the written obituaries will flesh out his career with the Special Boat Squadron and his later diplomatic service. He will probably be remembered most for his work in the Balkans which must have speeded up the peace process by years.

He confessed to not liking the Commons and believed that the Commons did not like him. I am not so sure about the latter, but in any case the Commons needed him when already lawyers and professional politicians were getting a grip on the main parties. One can now add merchant bankers and speculators to the crew. Besides the personal loss, there is the feeling of a gap having opened up which shows no sign of being filled.