Memories of Gwyneth Dunwoody MP

Peter Morgan, Audlem resident and retired NFU Group Secretary, writes: "I was saddened by the news this morning of the death of local Crewe M.P. Gwyneth Dunwoody, who has given such sterling service to her constituents over many years and will be sadly missed not only by her supporters but also by many of those of alternative persuasions.

"My first memory of Gwyneth was when she was invited as guest speaker to attend a County NFU Annual General Meeting at the Crewe Arms Hotel, sometime in the 1970s. Questions followed her characteristically forthright speech. She was in the lions den but was not phased in the slightest. Soon a short and equally forthright farmer from the East of the county stood up and launched what was meant to be a withering broadside, chauvinistic and contemptuous, he was going to put this woman in her place, which in his blinkered mind, was obviously the kitchen if not the scullery.

"A falling pin could have been heard in Nantwich as Gwyneth rose to her feet. Looking him squarely in the eye she delivered a dozen or so razor edged words that reduced his already short stature to that of an infant. Laughter rippled around the room and from that moment on Gwyneth had no further trouble from the farming community. Indeed, many of them were saddened to lose her when the constituency boundary changes took the rural areas away.

"Another fond memory of her was the occasion when she rolled up to a meeting that I had arranged on behalf of Nantwich NFU Branch in her trusty and rusty old ambulance conversion. We interviewed all the party candidates in turn. The meeting was held in a farmhouse at Wettenhall and was well attended, all crammed in to hear Gwyneth. After an hour of give and take, Gwyneth suddenly stood up and announced to much good humoured laughter," Forgive me gentlemen, but I've spent well over an hour with you and it really is time that I go and speak to someone who will vote for me!"

"Gwyneth Dunwoody represented that rare commodity in politics today, sincerity. She cow-towed to no one, not least her own party and was firmly rooted in traditional Labour values in an age of spin and soundbite. Truly a community M.P., it will be the community she represented that will miss her most."

We are sure that all who knew, or had dealings with Gwyneth Dunwoody, will echo Peter's tribute.

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