I learned earlier today that Cyril Smith has died.

He was one of those few people who genuinely deserve the description larger than life. I do not mean that in any pejorative sense even though he was a large man.

He was one of the most distinctive politicians of the 1970s and 80s. What marked him out was that he seemed to be a human being. Though a spokeman for his party he also spoke for himself, apparently not toeing the party line. As Liberal MP for Rochdale he brought a fresh forthright perspective to political debate and was one of the main driving forces behind the Liberal revival. What he would have made of his party’s present situation I don’t know but I suspect he would have been as outspoken. I’m sure his personality caused some people to cast their vote who might not have otherwise.

A few months ago when another blog referred to Abdelbasset Al Megrahi‘s lingering longer than it had been suggested he might and linked to a website which lists famous people who are getting on a bit (I put that politely) I had been surprised to learn that Smith was still alive. He seemed to have been absent from the news for so long and I had thought he had left us long ago.

Now he finally has and I find I am saddened by it.*

Cyril Smith: 28/6/1928- 3/9/2010. So it goes.

*Edited to add:- perusing other blogs and following up what they said it has come to my attention that like a lot of prominent people Sir Cyril not only had feet but also, it seems, other extremities of clay.