We’ve just heard of another very sad loss. Tom Smith-Hughes, the leader of the Liberal Democrats on Essex County Council, has died after a long fight with cancer.
Chelmsford Lib Dems have written the following on their website:
Chelmsford Liberal Democrats are deeply saddened to announce the death of Cllr Tom Smith-Hughes, after a long and brave battle against cancer.
Tom was County Councillor for Chelmsford North for 27 years; Chelmsford Councillor for Patching Hall for 17 years; Lib Dem leader at County Hall and on the Fire Authority, and a member of the Lib Dems’ Essex, Chelmsford and local branch executives. He held many community positions including school governor posts.
Commented Cllr Mike Mackrory (Deputy Lib Dem Leader Essex CC), “We are devastated by this news. Tom was a pillar of strength to the Lib Dems and indeed the whole community in Chelmsford. He was highly respected by everyone who knew him. Our thoughts are with Jill and the family at this deeply sad time.”
Chelmsford Council Lib Dem Leader Chris Rycroft added, “We will all miss Tom deeply. He was a huge asset to our Group and the wider Council. Few people understood local government finances like Tom and it meant he was listened to across the council.”
Cllr. Stephen Robinson, his ward colleague in Patching Hall, added, “Tom was a friend to me and countless other people locally. He helped many hundreds of people across north Chelmsford and further afield over many years, and campaigned tirelessly for our community, on housing, transport and many other issues.”
Our thoughts go out to his family and friends tonight.
Thank you Chris.
Stephen
I enjoyed Tom’s company and admired his integrity and political good sense. He will be a great loss to Essex public life. His Christian witness was also inspiring and an encouragement to many others, including myself. He and his family are in my prayers.
Tom was a man of great ability and generosity.
He was also a formidable political opponent.
Tom was a man without guile, which you can be forgiven for thinking is so rare in politics these days. I remember him being a quiet man, and you knew he only acted when he had carefully thought everything through.
His party and constituency successes are because of the leadership by example that he showed.
It is still possible to be an ethical politician and people of all political persuasions can always aspire to good old-fashioned public spiritedness. These are and should be the reasons why we go into politics. We succeed when we keep hold of our faith in ourselves and others.
It is for this and much more that we will remember Tom Smith-Hughes.