KEETCH PAYS TRIBUTE TO "STALWART" DAVID SHORT

12.00.00am GMT Mon 10th Nov 2003

Hereford's Liberal Democrat MP Paul Keetch has paid tribute to Councillor David Short who died on Saturday. He described David, who he has known for almost 30 years, as "the greatest stalwart of Liberalism in Herefordshire".

"I first met David when I joined the Liberal Party in February 1975", said Mr Keetch.

"I was a 13 year old young Liberal and David was already a successful councillor. David and his wife, Mary, have been incredibly kind to me ever since. He was a great friend, my political mentor, and I will miss him very much.

"During the mid 1970's David almost single handedly secured the City of Hereford as a Liberal stronghold. He was nationally recognised, and when he was Mayor of the City in 1979 he hosted a conference of party workers here to discuss his success. One delegate I remember meeting then was Paddy Ashdown, then still not an MP, but someone who remained close to David ever since.

"He supported Chris Green, our candidate in the 1979, 1983 and 1987 General Elections with great skill and determination, and although he stood for parliament himself in Leominster and West Gloucestershire, and was for a time our candidate in North Devon, David always put local Government in Herefordshire first.

"I have so many memories of him, including the Monday nights we would spend eating fish and chips, the times I was mistaken for his son, and the night as Mayor he hosted my 18th Birthday Party in the Town Hall in Hereford. We attended so many conferences together - so many windy sea side resorts. They will not be the same again.

"Most of all though I will never forget the sight of David crying with joy the night I was elected as MP for Hereford. It is no exaggeration to say that without the work David had done in the 20 years before 1997, we would never have won this parliamentary seat.

"David had battled with illness in the same determined way he fought political campaigns. He would take no prisoners. I saw him a couple of weeks ago and had spoken to Mary the night before he died. Chris Green and I were travelling out to visit David when we heard of his death.

"I have spoken to Mary since his death and I know that the great faith they had will help sustain Mary and her two daughters over the next days and months. They know the very great love and affection David was held in by me and my family, throughout the Party, and throughout Herefordshire.

"He will be missed by very many people."