Latest news with #LordDavidLipsey
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.'
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.
The Sun
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Member of House of Lords' body pulled from river after he was seen swimming in water
THE body of a member of the House of Lords has been recovered from a river after he was last seen swimming in the water. Police had received a report for concern of the safety of a man last seen in the River Wye in Glasbury, Wales, on July 1. 3 3 An extensive search was then launched, eventually resulting in a body being recovered from the river. This body has now been identified as that of Lord David Lipsey, Dyfed Powys Police said. Lord Lipsey previously worked as a journalist and as a Downing Street adviser under Labour prime minister James Callaghan in the late 1970s. He then entered the House of Lords in 1999, created a Life peer as Baron Lipsey of Tooting Bec in London. While in the Lords, he sat on the Labour benches. is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. Like us on Facebook at and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Body of Lord David Lipsey is recovered from the River Wye after 77-year-old Labour peer got into difficulty while swimming
The body of Lord David Lipsey has been recovered from a river after the Labour peer got into difficulty while swimming. The 77-year-old drowned in the River Wye in Glasbury, Wales, Dyfed-Powys Police said. The force had received a report concerning the safety of a man who had last been seen on July 1. In a statement the force 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.' Lord Lipsey, who previously worked as a journalist and Downing Street adviser under then prime minister Jim Callaghan, enter the Lords in 1999. He told the House of Lords last October of the deteriorating condition of the river saying it smelt of 'rotten egg' and children were getting sick after swimming in it. In a speech during the second reading of the Water Special Measures Bill he said: 'Residents such as us complain about children who are sick after swimming, rotten egg odours, opaque green pea-soup blooms and brown slime on the bottom. It is not the Wye that we moved next to 30 years ago. 'This beautiful river is being turned into a sewage dump.' Lord Lipsey was given a life peerage in 1999 by Tony Blair and was a journalist for papers including the Sunday Times, Guardian and Economist. He had been a Downing Street adviser under then prime minister Jim Callaghan and coined the phrases 'Winter of Discontent' and 'New Labour'.
