Sir Clement Freud dies

Sir Clement died last Wednesday evening at the age of 84. There is a BBC tribute here, which naturally concentrates on his contributions to Radio 4. However, his career as a Liberal MP is also significant, from winning Isle of Ely in a by-election against the odds in 1973, to his part in the downfall of the Callaghan government six years later. I have the impression that cash-strapped Liberal HQ would not or could not give any assistance in that 1973 campaign, preferring to concentrate on the by-election in Ripon on the same day, which makes Freud's success all the more remarkable. Freud also survived boundary reorganisation in 1983 and served as MP for North-East Cambridgeshire until 1987.

Frank Little