| The Right Honourable The Lord Williams of Mostyn PC QC |
|
|---|---|
| Lord President of the Council | |
| In office 13 June 2003 – 20 September 2003 |
|
| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | John Reid |
| Succeeded by | The Baroness Amos |
| Leader of the House of Lords | |
| In office 8 June 2001 – 20 September 2003 |
|
| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | The Baroness Jay of Paddington |
| Succeeded by | The Baroness Amos |
| Lord Privy Seal | |
| In office 8 June 2001 – 13 June 2003 |
|
| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | The Baroness Jay of Paddington |
| Succeeded by | Peter Hain |
| Attorney General for England and Wales Attorney General for Northern Ireland |
|
| In office 29 July 1999 – 8 June 2001 |
|
| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | John Morris |
| Succeeded by | The Lord Goldsmith |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 5 February 1941 Prestatyn, United Kingdom |
| Died | 20 September 2003 (aged 62) Gloucestershire, United Kingdom |
| Political party | Labour |
| Alma mater | Queens' College, Cambridge |
Gareth Wyn Williams, Baron Williams of Mostyn, PC, QC, (5 February 1941 - 20 September 2003) was a Welsh barrister and Labour politician who was Leader of the House of Lords, Lord President of the Council and a member of the Cabinet at the time of his sudden death in 2003.
Williams was born near Prestatyn, in North Wales, a son of Albert Thomas Williams and his wife Selina, née Evans. He was educated at Rhyl Grammar School and at Queens' College, Cambridge.
He had a successful legal career, becoming a Queen's Counsel, Recorder, Deputy High Court Judge and Chairman of the Bar Council. He was made a life peer as Baron Williams of Mostyn, of Great Tew in Oxfordshire in 1992 and became an opposition spokesman in the House of Lords on Legal Affairs, and later Northern Ireland. After Labour's election victory he appointed a Home Office minister, and in 1999 became Attorney General for England and Wales and Northern Ireland. He was appointed Leader of the House of Lords in 2001, initially with the sinecure office of Lord Privy Seal, for which Lord President of the Council was substituted in 2003.
Lord Williams married firstly in 1962 Pauline, daughter of Ernest Clarke, and by her had two daughters, Martha (born 1963) and Emma (born 1966), and a son, Daniel (born 1969). They divorced, and he married secondly in 1994 Veena M Russell, and by her had one daughter, Imogen.
He collapsed and died suddenly at his home in Gloucestershire, at the age of 62. He was survived by his four children.
As part of the celebrations to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Life Peerages Act, Lord Williams was voted by the current members of the House of Lords as the outstanding life peer since the creation of the life peerage.[1] In his book A View from the Foothills Chris Mullin wrote that he thought that Gareth Williams was most likely to succeed Derry Irvine as Lord Chancellor; the position was ultimately fulfilled by Charles Falconer.[2]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by John Morris |
Attorney General for England and Wales 1999–2001 |
Succeeded by The Lord Goldsmith |
| Attorney General for Northern Ireland 1999–2001 |
||
| Preceded by The Baroness Jay of Paddington |
Lord Privy Seal 2001–2003 |
Succeeded by Peter Hain |
| Leader of the House of Lords 2001–2003 |
Succeeded by The Baroness Amos |
|
| Preceded by John Reid |
Lord President of the Council 2003 |
|
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by The Baroness Jay of Paddington |
Leader of the Labour Party in the House of Lords 2001–2003 |
Succeeded by The Baroness Amos |