Earl Russell 1937-2004
October 14, 2004 3:00 PM
It is with great sadness that Brent Liberal Democrats learnt of the death of their local Party President Earl Conrad Russell. Liberal Democrat peer Conrad Russell (Professor, the Earl Russell) died peacefully this morning, aged 67, after a long illness.
Local Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Teather said:
"Conrad was very supportive to me personally he gave me a great deal of encouragement to stand for Parliament. On a personal level Conrad adored this Borough he lived here for a long time and raised his children here. Brent has lost one of its characters, Conrad knew everybody by name, he involved himself in the detail of local life. He regularly brought local issues to my attention.
"He was a brilliant intellectual and sometimes stubborn man. His stubbornness was one of his greatest assets as a campaigner, refusing never to let up in his determination to fight for the underdog."
Responding to the news, Rt Hon Charles Kennedy MP, Leader of the Liberal Democrats, said:
"I am saddened indeed by the news of Conrad Russell's passing. He was a personal, political and intellectual rock of support for me. And his contribution to the development of liberalism in Britain cannot be underestimated.
"Within the Liberal Democrats, Conrad was often our liberal conscience, using his formidable intellect and learning, often gently, but always tellingly, to stand up for the poorest and most disadvantaged in society.
"He was a vigorous campaigner to the end, both in the House of Lords, and for the Liberal Democrat Party itself."
Baroness Shirley Williams, Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords, offered the following appreciation:
"Conrad Russell was a liberal in every fibre of his being, from his wonderful mind to his sometimes agonized body. Members of the Liberal Democrat party were members of his family. The House of Lords was his home.
"Conrad was a distinctive and distinguished member of the House of Lords, a man of immense learning, elegant oratory and a gentle but perspicacious wit. He devoted himself in particular to his brief on pensions and social services, motivated always by his concern for the poor and marginalized. His dedication was extraordinary: to his students at King's College and to the many thousands whom looked to him to espouse their cause.
"Towards the end of his too short life, he threw himself into the campaign to elect Sarah Teather, Member of Parliament for Brent East. He did not spare himself, doing everything that was needed, from stuffing envelopes to drafting press releases. One of his last moments of pure joy came with her election to Parliament in September 2003. None of us will forget him."
Conrad Russell became the fifth Earl Russell in 1987. His great grandfather was the Liberal Prime Minister Lord John Russell, and his father was the philosopher Bertrand Russell.
Educated at Eton and Merton College Oxford, he became a Lecturer in History at Bedford London and Reader in History from 1974-1979. From 1979 to 1984 he taught at Yale University in the United States. On his return to the UK, Conrad taught at University College London, before becoming Professor of History at Kings College London in 1990 until his retirement in 2003.
Conrad wrote widely, primarily focusing on political and parliamentary history. His publications include The Causes of the English Civil War (1990), The fall of the British Monarchies (1991), and An Intelligent Person's Guide to Liberalism (1999). He also wrote about the need for academic freedom, was a Fellow of the Royal Academy and a Trustee of the John Stuart Mill Institute.
He often publicly debated on sensitive issues. His work with students led him to encourage more youth representation in the Liberal Democrats. Conrad was a Vice- President of the Liberal Democrat Youth and Students. (1993-4).
In the Lords he focused on issues such as constitutional affairs, education and asylum. He was also the party's spokesman in the House of Lords on Work and Pensions. In 1996 he was awarded the Highland Park/Spectator 'Peer of the year', and came top in the Party when the elections to retain hereditary peers were held in 1999.
Conrad was an active member of the Party's Federal Policy Committee, where he helped draft policy on tax and benefit issues. He was also the Honorary President of the Liberal Democrat History Group.
He is survived by his two children, Nicholas and John.
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