Latest news with #Glasbury
The Independent
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Labour peer died while swimming in River Wye, police say
Labour peer Lord David Lipsey has been found dead after swimming in the River Wye, police have said. Officers were called to the River Wye in Glasbury on Monday following concerns about the safety of a man who was last seen swimming in the river. Dyfed Powys Police have now confirmed the body of Lord Lipsey was pulled from the river on Tuesday following a multi-agency search. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer led tributes from the Labour Party, saying the peer 'worked tirelessly for what he believed in' and will be 'sorely missed' by all who knew him. Lord Lipsey, 77, who previously worked as a journalist and Downing Street adviser under then prime minister Jim Callaghan, entered the Lords in 1999. He is also credited with coining the phrases 'New Labour' and 'winter of discontent'. A police spokesperson said: 'Dyfed-Powys Police received a report concerning the safety of a man who was last seen swimming in the River Wye, Glasbury. 'Following a multi-agency search on July 1, sadly, we can confirm the body of Lord David Lipsey was recovered. 'His next of kin have been informed and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time. 'They have asked for their privacy to be respected.' Paying tribute, Sir Keir said: 'David was loved and respected by so many. 'Whether it was his early years as a researcher and adviser, or his quarter of a century in the House of Lords, he worked tirelessly for what he believed in. 'He will be sorely missed by all who were fortunate to know him, in Parliament and beyond. 'My thoughts are with his wife, Margaret, and their family and friends.' Lord McFall of Alcluith, the Lord Speaker, said the upper chamber extended its 'condolences to the noble Lord's family and friends'. In the 1970s, Lord Lipsey served as a special adviser to Labour minister and diarist Anthony Crosland and on the staff at 10 Downing Street under Prime Minister Jim Callaghan, later Lord Callaghan. He also worked on The Sunday Times, New Society and The Economist and co-founded the short-lived Sunday Correspondent in 1988. He was awarded a life peerage by former prime minister Tony Blair in 1999. Lord Lipsey was also a fan of greyhound racing, chairing the British Greyhound Racing Board (now called the Great British Greyhound Board) between 2004 and 2009, and worked to get dogs rehomed at the end of their careers.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Labour peer Lord Lipsey found dead after swimming in River Wye
The Labour peer Lord David Lipsey has been found dead after swimming in the River Wye in Wales, police said. Officers were called to the village of Glasbury on Monday after concerns about the safety of a man who was last seen swimming in the river. Dyfed Powys police said on Thursday the body of the 77-year-old was pulled from the water on Tuesday after a multi-agency search. Lipsey previously worked as a journalist and was a Downing Street adviser under then prime minister Jim Callaghan. A police spokesperson said: 'His next of kin have been informed and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time. 'They have asked for their privacy to be respected.' Lipsey entered the Lords in 1999. Lord McFall of Alcluith, the Lord Speaker, said the upper chamber extended its 'condolences to the noble lord's family and friends'. Lipsey, originally from Dorset, lived in Powys and was a patron of the Glasbury Arts festival. In the 1970s, he served as a special adviser to the Labour minister and diarist Anthony Crosland and on the staff at 10 Downing Street under Callaghan, later Lord Callaghan. Lipsey also worked for the Guardian, the Sunday Times, New Society and the Economist and co-founded the short-lived Sunday Correspondent in 1988. He was awarded a life peerage by Tony Blair in 1999. The peer was also a fan of greyhound racing, chairing the British Greyhound Racing Board, now called the Greyhound Board of Great Britain, between 2004 and 2009 and worked to get dogs rehomed at the end of their careers. Keir Starmer said: 'David was loved and respected by so many. Whether it was his early years as a researcher and adviser, or his quarter of a century in the House of Lords, he worked tirelessly for what he believed in. 'He will be sorely missed by all who were fortunate to know him, in parliament and beyond. My thoughts are with his wife, Margaret, and their family and friends.'
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Labour peer died while swimming in River Wye
A Labour peer died after getting into difficulty while swimming in the River Wye. The body of Lord Lipsey was recovered on July 1 after police in Powys, Wales, received a report about the safety of a man in the water. The 77-year-old was a journalist and political editor of The Economist before being appointed to the House of Lords by Sir Tony Blair in 1999. He worked as an adviser in Downing Street under Jim Callaghan and also chaired the influential Fabian Society, a centre-Left Labour pressure group, in the 1980s. In a statement issued on Thursday, Dyfed-Powys Police said the force 'received a report concerning the safety of a man who was last seen swimming in the River Wye, Glasbury'. The statement said: 'Following a multi-agency search on July 1, sadly, we can confirm the body of Lord David Lipsey was recovered. His next of kin have been informed, and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time. They have asked for their privacy to be respected.' Passionate about state of the River Wye The River Wye is the fourth-longest river in the UK and has remained popular among swimmers despite its deteriorating condition over recent years. Ministers published a £34-million action plan last year aimed at improving it. Lord Lipsey had a particular soft spot for the River Wye and turned the air blue as he discussed its decline in a Lords debate on pollution last year. He told peers: 'There are various causes, but overwhelmingly the most important – and I will use the word whatever the risk of offending Your Lordships, I'm sure you'll take it – the main problem is chicken s---. Something like 80 per cent of the pollution in the Wye is caused by chicken s---.' In the same speech, he warned that the river smelt of 'rotten eggs' and that children were becoming ill after swimming in it. Peers were told of Lord Lipsey's death on Wednesday as Lord McFall, the Lord Speaker, extended his condolences to his family and friends. Lord Lipsey described himself as having 'fingers in pies from greyhound racing to elderly care'. He was praised on his death as one of the key power brokers in greyhound racing during the past few decades. He was also a member of the all-party parliamentary group on horse racing, and the sport's official body paid tribute to him as a 'staunch supporter'.
Sky News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Sky News
House of Lords member died while swimming in River Wye, police say
Why you can trust Sky News A member of the House of Lords last seen swimming in a river in Wales has died, police have confirmed. Dyfed-Powys Police said they received a report concerning the safety of a man last seen swimming in the River Wye at Glasbury. The body of Lord David Lipsey, 77, was recovered on 1 July, after a search involving multiple agencies. The village where it happened, in Powys, mid Wales, has a population of around 1,000 people. Lord Lipsey's next of kin have been informed and have asked for their privacy to be respected. Police said in a statement that the force's thoughts were with them. Lord Lipsey became a member of the House of Lords in 1999 and has sat on the Labour benches for the majority of that period. He was a long-time campaigner for water quality in the River Wye and his last spoken contribution in the House of Lords was on the subject. He told the Lords that he and his wife had lived in the Wye valley "for nearly 30 years". "We go swimming at Glasbury most mornings in summer, some mornings in winter," he said. "We still do this, but it is a deteriorating experience. Part of the river near us was closed this summer to wild swimmers such as us, on the grounds of pollution." Prior to joining the Lords, Lord Lipsey worked as a journalist for a number of publications. He later worked as a political adviser to the Labour Party in opposition and advised James Callaghan when he was prime minister. Former health minister Stephen Dorrell told Sky News he was "saddened" to hear of Lord Lipsey's death. "Ironically, actually, I worked most closely with David, who I liked and was always very good company, I worked with him when I chaired the House of Commons health committee in the Cameron years, because he was strongly of the view that if you don't sort out social care, you'll never sort out either the health service or the wider health and care system," he said.
Sky News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Sky News
Lord Lipsey: House of Lords member died while swimming in River Wye, police say
A member of the House of Lords last seen swimming in a river in Wales has died, police have confirmed. Dyfed-Powys Police said they received a report concerning the safety of a man last seen swimming in the River Wye at Glasbury. The body of Lord David Lipsey, 77, was recovered on 1 July, after a search involving multiple agencies. The village where it happened, in Powys, mid Wales, has a population of around 1,000 people. Lord Lipsey's next of kin have been informed and have asked for their privacy to be respected. Police said in a statement that the force's thoughts were with them. Lord Lipsey became a member of the House of Lords in 1999 and has sat on the Labour benches for the majority of that period. He was a long-time campaigner for water quality in the River Wye and his last spoken contribution in the House of Lords was on the subject. He told the Lords that he and his wife had lived in the Wye valley "for nearly 30 years". "We go swimming at Glasbury most mornings in summer, some mornings in winter," he said. "We still do this, but it is a deteriorating experience. Part of the river near us was closed this summer to wild swimmers such as us, on the grounds of pollution." Prior to joining the Lords, Lord Lipsey worked as a journalist for a number of publications. He later worked as a political adviser to the Labour Party in opposition and advised James Callaghan when he was prime minister.
