Good afternoon. Just two and a half years after his election as an Assembly Member for the south-east of Wales and at just 34 years of age, it’s my sad duty today to state in the Senedd that we have lost our fellow Member and friend, Steffan Lewis, over the weekend. His dear family and friends have joined us today in the gallery as we pay tribute to him. May we all rise here in the Chamber and across our whole estate to commemorate Steffan Lewis?

Assembly Members stood for a minute’s silence.

To begin the tributes this afternoon, Adam Price, the leader of Plaid Cymru.

Thank you Llywydd. Wales is a small nation, but every now and then we breed giants. I got to know Steffan Lewis first over 20 years ago in light of the Islwyn by-election. We heard talk of this incredible young boy from the Gwent valleys who was not only a member of Plaid Cymru, but of the SNP and Mebyon Kernow too, and had managed to get the WRU to note this in the programme for the Wales-England game when Steffan was a mascot for the Wales team. Steffan never did things by halves.

Within a few years, Steffan was addressing the Plaid conference for the first time, at 14 years of age—two years younger than William Hague and, as he was keen to point out, he was far more effective. And, even at that time, he wasn’t little Steffan—Steffan was to be great. There was incredible depth to his character from the outset. His mother, Gail, at the ironing board, and him as a nine-year-old asking all sorts of questions, flowing like water from a well. Where, why and when—and most often, the 'why', like some sort of apprentice Vincent Kane. The potential was spotted and the roots were nurtured and took hold. Gail would highlight articles in the Western Mail and would buy him books on Welsh history. But writing stories or history books wasn’t his destiny; he was to make history.

Steffan was every bit the definition of a passionate Welshman. But he was also a man of Gwent, and he saw in the triumphs and tragedies of that great county the key to understanding the problems and possibilities of the nation as a whole. It was Gwent who brought the first blossoming of Welsh nationalism in the form of Cymru Fydd to a shuddering halt in a stormy meeting in Newport in 1896. But it also produced, in Steffan and, before him, Phil Williams, two of the most cerebral and creative minds in 100 years of the modern national movement. If our task was to forge a new Wales, then the die would be cast in Gwent—the social laboratory that gave the world socialised medicine. His county was not just the gateway to Wales but the key to its future.

Steffan was obsessed by history, as his sister Nia soon discovered—whose summer holidays growing up were a Wales-wide odyssey of castles, battles and the birthplaces of famous Welsh heroes. But whilst Steffan wanted us to learn, he didn't want us imprisoned by it. He tried in vain to get a party that, up until recently, still had Lewis Valentine's lyrics to Sibelius's Finlandia as its official party anthem, to adopt instead Fleetwood Mac's 'Don't Stop Thinking about Tomorrow', famously used, of course, by Bill Clinton in his 1992 presidential campaign. For Steffan, it was the mirror of our past that often offered the vision of our future. A speech he made to our conference after being selected as a candidate for the 2016 election sums this up best, and I'd like to read the closing section now. Here is Steffan in his own words:

'You know I'm a historian myself by training, and I take a great deal of pleasure looking and learning about our past but, in a few months, I am due to become a father for the first time. That's made me think an awful lot more about our future, rather than our past. What inheritance will there be for the next generation? What accomplishments will that generation look back upon and mark out as decisive points in the course of our country? Friends, all of that is in our hands now'.

He went on to talk about the great inspiration he had drawn from the referendum in Scotland, but the point for Steffan is the choices we made here in Wales. Here's Steffan again:

'As much as we take inspiration from others, we will thrive as a movement and as a nation only when we find our own path, when we inspire one another, when we come together to resolve to build a new society and a new state. We are going to walk that path together, north and south, local and newcomer, together as one Wales towards the free Wales.'

Steffan, sadly, will not see the Wales of which he dreamed. But for his son, Celyn, and his generation, he has laid the foundation, and it's we now who must build the road. He understood, like that other Welsh giant, Brân, that the essence of leadership is to take people with you, to build bridges. In the words of one of his favourite poets, Harri Webb, if we Welsh could only be inseparable, we would be insuperable.

Steffan ended that speech by saying that he wasn't going to be the typical politician and reel off a long list of promises to the electorate. Instead, he was going to make just one promise: he was going to make us proud. Well, you made us all proud, Steffan—proud of you, proud to have known you, to have called you a friend and colleague. You made us proud to be Welsh by your example, that will endure. You may not get there with us, Steffan, but we will get there because of you. Steffan had all the qualities to become, one day, the father of the nation. That, sadly, cannot be, but he was the nation's perfect son.  

Our thanks is unending to you, Steffan, to your mother for giving you to us, and to Shona for sharing you with us all. 

I now call on the First Minister, Mark Drakeford. 

Diolch, Llywydd. 

The sense of sadness and of loss is profound in the Assembly this afternoon, as we think first of Steffan's family and his friends, but we think as well of the loss to this Assembly and to the future of our nation. I'm very conscious that, unlike other Members—unlike Adam, who has just spoken—that I didn't know Steffan at all until I met him here after his election. And in the way that chance has it, Llywydd, the responsibilities that he discharged over that brief period for Plaid Cymru in the Chamber, speaking on Brexit, speaking on finance, happened to be the responsibilities that I held in the Welsh Government at the same time. And as a result, and much more than would normally be the case, I found myself in his company. And he was, without any shadow of a doubt, one of the most decent and able politicians of his generation; somebody who, as Adam Price has just said, when he came through the door to discuss something that mattered passionately to him, his ambition always seemed to me to be to see where common ground could be forged and where we could agree together on the important responsibilities that fall to us all. That's how I ended up working with him on 'Securing Wales' Future', a document that has served us so well in the past two years and will go on, I know, being a touchstone of the sort of nation that we want to be in the context we find ourselves in today, and beyond that as well, conversations about finance, about tax, about Gwent and the things that mattered to him there.

Inevitably, like all of us, when something awful like this happens, you find yourself remembering and you think of conversations that you've had. I thought over the weekend of an occasion where we had talked together about the importance of us jointly being able to present a copy of 'Securing Wales' Future' to the UK Government. It was a product of both our parties, we both had a lot to do with its production and we wanted to go together and make sure that we presented it to the UK Government, and, lo and behold, a senior Secretary of State in the UK Government was visiting Cardiff and we were able to go and present the document to him. Steffan introduced the document in the way exactly as you would expect—articulate and to the point. We received a reply from the Secretary of State and, as we left the room, Steffan said to me, 'Well, if I wasn't a nationalist before I came in this room, I'm definitely one as I leave it'. [Laughter.]

He was, as you all know, a thoughtful, sensitive and committed individual, but he was a funny person, somebody whose company you wanted to be in, somebody who you learnt a lot from, even in those more casual moments. It's very difficult, isn't it, to remember that it is barely six weeks since he last spoke in this Chamber, and difficult to remember that it's only six months ago since many of us here in south Wales and in the north, where a number of us were, across parties in the Chamber, set off to walk together across the front in Llandudno. It was a beautiful day; it was one of those high summer's days when the sun shone and you couldn't but be optimistic about the future. And here we are, barely six months later, in the dark winter days. A day when

'The sun, for sorrow, will not show his head.'

And neither, for a long time, Llywydd, will we. 

The leader of the Conservatives, Paul Davies. 

Diolch, Llywydd.

I, too, rise with a heavy heart to pay tribute to Steffan this afternoon, and, on behalf of the Welsh Conservatives, I'd like to extend our sincere condolences to his wife Shona, son Celyn and to all his family and close friends. Nothing can prepare you for losing someone at such a tender age. 

Even though he was only elected to the Assembly in 2016, I was very much aware that he was a rising star within his party, well before being elected, from the conversations I'd had with some of my colleagues in Plaid Cymru. Steffan described being elected to this place as his dream job, and he fulfilled the role with distinction right up until the end; always ensuring the voices of his constituents were heard. As the First Minister said, it was clear to everyone that he was a very able, talented and committed politician, with so much more to give.

He was never known to raise his voice when he delivered a contribution, as the Chamber always fell silent when he spoke, as people genuinely wanted to hear what he had to say. Perhaps sometimes I didn't want to hear what he had to say, because he always had something powerful and intelligent to say, which sometimes countered strongly the arguments we were putting forward on this side of the Chamber. But not only did he put forward powerful and intelligent arguments, he also had always something new to add to the debate, something that none of us had thought about. He would always approach a debate from a different angle. This, I believe, was one of his greatest strengths. Even though we were on different sides of the political spectrum, I had enormous respect for his principled stance on the issues that really mattered. He will be remembered as a politician who was always true to his principles. It was absolutely clear to me how dedicated and committed he was to his constituents in the way he never allowed his illness to prevent him from coming here to represent his constituents. The bravery and courage he demonstrated throughout his illness will be an example to us all.

I am sure that Steffan's legacy will live on through his family and, indeed, through this Assembly, and I hope that more people like Steffan will enter politics to make a real difference to the people of Wales. It was a privilege and an honour to have known Steffan, and my thoughts and prayers are with Shona, Celyn and his family at this very, very difficult time. Llywydd, every Parliament should have a Steffan. We're just very sad that we've lost ours. He will be sorely missed on all sides of this Chamber.

I now call David Rowlands on behalf of UKIP.

Diolch, Llywydd. I first met Steffan at a hustings in Blaenau Gwent during the last Assembly elections, but it was obvious to me at that time that he was an exceptionally gifted person. Over his two and a half years in the Assembly, I believe we have all witnessed his special capabilities, and I know that all in this Chamber will agree with me that we have lost one of our most able AMs.

On a personal level, although we of course disagreed politically, he was always polite and friendly whenever we crossed paths on the Assembly estate. I, for one, am deeply saddened by Steffan's passing, and my thoughts go out to his family at this very distressing time. But I hope that they shall find solace in his very considerable achievements.

This is possibly the most difficult contribution I've ever had to make in this Senedd in the 15 years that I've been an Assembly Member. All of us in the Plaid Cymru family are beyond devastated that we've lost our friend and colleague, and our hearts go out to his family, who I know are in incredible pain at his loss. But Steffan is a loss to our nation too, to our democracy—he's a loss to our future.

Steffan had one of the sharpest political brains in Welsh politics. He was incredibly well read, and he had an international understanding, which meant that he was always able to draw on examples—sometimes pretty obscure examples—to highlight or prove his point. As others have said, his contributions, especially on Brexit but on other matters too, were always considered, measured, well informed, and more often than not—not always, but more often than not—Steffan would end up being proved right.

Plenty of people have paid tribute to Steff's public political contribution, and many of you here will be well aware of that, but I'd like to focus my brief remarks on Steffan as the person. We worked very closely together for around three years before he was elected as an Assembly Member. He was thorough, he could think outside the box, and he could think strategically. He was incredibly loyal and honest, and he was very prepared to say when he disagreed with something or he didn't like something. But he was also a team player, prepared to work extremely hard for the success of all of our shared goals. With Steff, no matter how difficult or insurmountable a problem might seem, he just would not accept that there was no solution. We tackled many tricky problems together, we made some fabulous political interventions together, and I've got some amazing memories of my work and friendship with Steffan, which I will now be able to keep forever.

All of us are privileged to have memories, we're all privileged to have been part of his life, and we all want to pull together now to support his family and each other through the difficult weeks and months ahead.

Nos da, Steffan. Sleep well, my friend.

I only knew Steffan, like many others in this Chamber, since he was elected in 2016 to join us here, and in that short time, his decency and his intellect have made their mark on myself and many others, as we are hearing across the Chamber today. My colleague Jack Sargeant came into this Chamber with the thought of a kinder politics. Steffan embodied that kinder politics he wanted to do. He was decent, he was well thought of, he considered his arguments and he put forward a strong case, as has been highlighted already.

Llywydd, Steffan's contribution to the Assembly has been recognised by all Members, but his contribution to the external affairs committee on which he sat was enormous. He brought to us the thoughtful consideration of the arguments and he put that thoughtful consideration not with an agenda of anything else other than the best for the people of Wales. That was his contribution.

Now, we all know his political thinking and what was paramount to him was the existence of an independent Welsh national state. But more important to him was the actual improvement of the lives of people in Wales, and that's what he chose to achieve and work towards, and everything he did was for that. He brought to us cutting ideas, and scrutiny of Ministers, which sometimes they didn't enjoy either, because they were sometimes very wary of Steffan when he was in the committee because they knew what was coming. He went everywhere to try and get that information. I remember him telling me he went to London to go all round the embassies and the consulates to get information about what a future Europe would look like. I even remember him telling me that he was planning a trip to Norway with his family with the real intention of going to the Sweden-Norway border to see what went on on that border.

Whilst we will miss his intellect and sharpness here in this Assembly, that is nothing compared to the loss that his family will be experiencing at this difficult time. My thoughts and prayers are with his family now and in the future, but one thing I do know is that his son will grow up to see his ambition realised at one point; I do believe that. Steffan's time might have been short, but his legacy will live on.

I raise to speak with a heavy heart on behalf of the Labour group. First, I'd like to extend all of our condolences to Steffan's wife, Shona, his son, Celyn, and the rest of his family and friends. Steffan was so widely respected by Members of all parties across this Chamber and held in really great esteem. His razor-sharp intellect was clear to see, as was his grasp of the key issues and his genuine passion to make Wales a better place. And in the work that he did on first proposing the EU continuity Bill, and his work thereafter on 'Securing Wales' Future', he will undoubtedly leave a strong legacy here in Wales.

I'd also like to say a few points personally as well, because I arrived in this Chamber in May 2016, at exactly the same time as Steffan, and I was struck very quickly by how non-partisan a place this Chamber is. It was actually Steffan who played a key role in first showing me that, as we both served on BIPA together—the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly. I remember meeting with him and the other representatives prior to our first trip and feeling somewhat trepidatious about how I would get on with Members of other parties during that trip. But Steffan actually jumped over the security barriers in Tŷ Hywel, such was his enthusiasm for the work we were about to undergo, and that certainly did break down any barriers that there were.

From then on, I found that there was nothing that he could not talk about and show a huge amount of knowledge on, as other colleagues have said, from international examples to national and to local. The depth of knowledge and passion he had across all different areas of politics was really quite incredible. But virtually every conversation that I had with him would always come back to his family, and that was something that really struck me. He was, clearly, very much a family man, a very proud father, and spoke with great affection of his wife and his parents too, and how they had shaped his politics.

His talent will undoubtedly be a great loss to the party, Plaid Cymru, and a great loss to Wales as a nation as well, but of course, more importantly, a loss that is felt by his family and his friends too. Like Steffan, I too am a historian at heart, and I am confident that, when the history of this fifth Assembly is written and this chapter of the history of Plaid Cymru, Steffan's role will be a shining light.

There is an empty chair behind me. It’s a chair that’s been kept warm for Steff ever since he started his battle with cancer a little over a year ago. It feels like yesterday. I was looking at his text the other day: ‘Can you come out of committee to speak to me?’ he said, and that was a dark day.

But Steff was determined to continue to cast his light upon us. He would still come here, as we’ve heard, particularly for discussions on European matters or to demand fair play for some cause or another in Gwent and the south-east, the area where he was raised, which was so dear to him.

In his early 20s, he made an impression on me for the first time. I was introducing a television hustings programme from Ebbw Vale during the Blaenau Gwent by-election, and Steff was a very young Plaid Cymru candidate at that election—I think he was just 21. I remember thinking at the time, ‘Wow, he’s good.’ And he was very good. He was very special.

It was a huge pleasure then to become a colleague of his in due time and to call him a friend. I was an elected member first of all, although he was in Plaid Cymru way before I was, where he was a key member of the team, and then he too was elected. Becoming a Member of our national Senedd meant everything to him. For Steff, it was a privilege to be here, serving his community and serving Wales. But it was that community's privilege, Wales’s privilege and all of our privilege that Steff had decided to commit to serve the nation in its Parliament.

He was a dear man, a fair man, a fair politician. He was unselfish. We saw that in the way in which he was so eager to help other patients in speaking openly of his cancer. He was a mindful individual, choosing his words carefully. It reminded me of my late mother in that regard. She had given so much to Wales in so many ways. I heard in tributes to her that my mother would hold back, but when she spoke, we would know that she had something to say, and everyone would listen. And that’s how it was with Steff. Steff, I cannot pay you much greater tribute than to say that you remind me of my mother. Steff’s contribution was always valuable.

Steff's role in public life in Wales has been cut way, way too short. In a few short years, he made a contribution that made him stand out as a politician with rare ability, with real clarity and vision for his community and his nation, and as a man of integrity, fairness, sincerity, determination and total selflessness. He brought people together, and in that, he's an example to all of us.

Today, we say, ‘Thank you, Steff'. We miss you and miss what you would have done for us. But we give thanks for everything that you did and for laying the foundations for an independent Wales. We thank you for your vision and your leadership in such a brief life. Yes, we kept your seat warm, but that wasn't to be. Now, we will do everything to keep your flame alight. Rest in peace, Steff.

I'd always heard about Steffan Lewis from my former ministerial colleague and fellow Assembly Member, Jocelyn Davies, who was so proud of this young political activist who volunteered in her office. And when she told me she was standing down at the 2016 election, she actually said she was glad that this would provide an opportunity for Steffan to take his place in the Assembly as her successor Plaid Cymru Assembly Member for the South Wales East region. 

Of course, Steffan was known by many of us for his work behind the scenes before 2016, working for Leanne as her speech writer, and we knew—we knew—he would be formidable when the time came for him to enter the public world of politics as an Assembly Member. And, of course, he made his mark from day one as the youngest Member elected in 2016. I recall, as many will as well, Steffan taking his seat here in the Chamber with great confidence, clarity, but also humble about his role and the opportunity he'd had—clear about his politics, of course. I remember he said—and you can recall that, and his colleagues—that he wouldn't be using his computer, because he wanted to be fully engaged in debates. He didn't want to have that charge we often get: 'What are you doing staring at your computer all day?' And I think he stuck to that promise. So, if we wanted him, we had to get him out of the Chamber or text him.

He was ready from the start to work outside the party confines to achieve shared goals and aims, and he took the lead as we quickly moved into the pre-imposed referendum world as the party spokesperson, working with Labour on 'Securing Wales' Future', and of course that has stood the test of time today, as the First Minister said today, and indeed last week. But he was also expert and steadfast as finance spokesperson. He sat on both finance and the external affairs committees, as I did, and when I joined those committees last November, I enjoyed them so much more when he was able to join us, as Dai Rees has said, despite his advancing illness and arduous treatment, which he faced with such courage, which all of us will have learnt from. But he did, as has been said, never let any Labour Minister or colleague off the hook in terms of his scrutiny, but was always supportive when he saw common cause. 

I also want to pay tribute to the role Steffan played in promoting the importance of Wales in the world, and the importance of external affairs. So, he handed over to me the rapporteur role he'd played with Jeremy Miles, when he was on the committee, looking at the opportunities for Wales in the world as part of our responsibilities towards international development—and I know Eluned Morgan will be taking this forward—but also post Brexit, determined to ensure that Wales was not bypassed and was recognised diplomatically, culturally, socially and economically.

The walk with Steff has been mentioned, organised by Nia last July. I remember walking with Dai Lloyd and Jeff Cuthbert along the canal to Blackwood. It will be a lasting memory for all of us, and I remember that hug with Steffan on that walk. For Steffan, it was so important that he was raising those funds for Velindre. And of course, with that, my heartfelt thoughts and sympathies are with his family today, and in the weeks and months and years ahead.

Steffan, you've left a great legacy as a passionate Welsh European, an international citizen of the world, and we'll continue to help pursue those goals in your memory, because you were far-sighted in your political vision as a proud and outstanding person and politician of Wales.

May I begin by paying tribute to Steffan and his family, and to extend my sympathies to the family in their loss? Although, of course, you might be expecting something to happen, the loss is still a bitter blow.

It's difficult to conceive that Steffan was a Member of the Assembly for such a short time, so great was his contribution. We sat here in this Chamber and in committees and we saw how considerable his knowledge was and, of course, his desire to service his country. He quite quickly became respected by so many around this Chamber in all parties, and when he spoke, what he said was always incisive and thought-provoking. Steffan was always worth listening to.

He offered so much to the debate on Brexit through his work on developing a vision from how Brexit should work to the suggestion of a continuity Bill. And I believe he was the first Member in this Chamber to suggest a continuity Bill and he deserves the credit for that.

On a personal level, I think it's entirely right to say that Steffan was well liked by all. He was a proud member of Plaid Cymru. We've all seen, of course, the photograph of him addressing the Plaid Cymru conference in 1987 when he was, I think, 14. That would have taken a considerable feat of confidence to be able to do that. But despite, of course, his strongly held principles, he was always ready to work with other parties when he felt it was for the good of the nation. We often aspire, don't we, as politicians, to work with others? But Steffan didn't just aspire to do that; he practised it as well.

I, for one, found his contribution to the debate on Brexit to be invaluable, and some of you will know that I was asked before Christmas in a tv interview to name those I respected in other parties. Without disrespect to others in the Chamber, Steffan was one of those names that I mentioned.

The news that Steffan had been diagnosed, of course, with cancer, was a great shock to him and to his family. There's no doubt about that. He shared his diagnosis with me. He knew that my wife, Lisa, worked for Macmillan. He knew that it was a very difficult prognosis, but, despite that, he carried on with his work and worked hard to raise money for those who are living with cancer, and those memories, of course, will be there amongst so many Members who remember the work that he did to raise money for Velindre. There would of course have been low moments in his fight against cancer, but one thing we do know is that he found the resolve and the strength to inspire others. There are very few people with those qualities. Steffan was one of them.

We have lost a future star of Welsh politics, but his family have lost a son, a brother, a husband and father, and today we stand with them and remember Steffan.

Like everyone in the Chamber today, I too send my deepest condolences to Shona, Celyn, Gail, Nia and the whole family, and I wish to thank you for sharing Steffan with us. He was taken away far too soon and his loss is great to his family more than anyone, of course, but also to Plaid Cymru, the people of the south-east of Wales, this Assembly and to Wales. He contributed so much, and his intellect will light the way for us. He will be an inspiration and he will walk with us on the journey towards a free Wales.

I first came across Steff at a public meeting in Pen-y-groes in the Arfon constituency. Alun Ffred had insisted that this bright young boy from Gwent should join us to share his vision, and that is what he did, in a thoughtful, detailed, intelligent and quiet way, but in an entirely convincing and credible way. He had a dream and he believed that that dream would be realised. Over ensuing years, I would meet Steff at conferences and Plaid events, and in 2016 both of us were elected Assembly Members for the first time, and I had the privilege of sitting next to him until quite recently.

As we’ve already heard, he didn’t like the computer screen, and therefore, if he wanted to send a message to the Llywydd, very often he would have to go through my computer screen, and then I would pull his leg and say, ‘Well, I’m not your personal secretary, Steff’, and he would tease me too. For example, when I took every possible opportunity to press for a medical school for Bangor, I would hear, ‘You gogs are far too noisy.’ And that was one of his favourite phrases. I delighted in those phrases. I loved to hear his powerful, carefully constructed speeches, but those asides when another Member was speaking would always put a smile on my face. ‘This is terrible’, when a Minister was refusing to answer a question or was rambling on, and he would hate to hear Members referring to the UK as ‘our nation’ or ‘our country’. He would always correct that—'Wales is our nation. Wales is our country.’ And another thing that wound him up was references to Wales as a 'small nation'. ‘We’re not a small nation’, he would insist, ‘We are a bigger nation than many other independent nations.’

In walking to the Chamber or whilst waiting to deliver a speech backstage, Steff would say this to me, ‘Here we are, Siân Gwenllian’—he’d never call me ‘Siân’; he’d always call me by my full name—‘Here we are, Siân Gwenllian, the woman from Gwynedd and the boy from Gwent. We’ll go for it. Let’s go, let’s show them how it’s done.’ I will never forget those words. We represented very different areas, but the boy from Gwent made quite an impression on me, and that bright, principled boy will always be with me in our Senedd, in our conferences and in my daily life, because that boy from Gwent will always be in my heart, in all of our hearts. Steff, your dream lives on and that dream will be realised. Rest in peace, dear friend.

Like everybody else in the Chamber, I'll miss Steffan. I sat on the Finance Committee with him and we had some interesting times—I'm not sure that others would think it—when we were discussing land transaction tax and cross-border matters. I'm sure that Steffan and I engaged in very much a dialogue on this, much to the chagrin of other people sat in the Chamber. His encyclopaedic knowledge of other borders—when I said about 'cross border', we eventually ended up with a 1,000 pieces of land crossing the England-Wales border, he said, 'That's nothing—how do you think they manage in Portugal and Spain, or the Walloons and the Flemish? How do think it works in the rest—?' I said, 'I don't know', and he said, 'Well, I've been there. I went on holiday to visit it to see.' I said, 'Well, I don't think I'd convince my wife to go on holiday to see borders but—.'

The other thing about him was his refusal to use his computer in the Chamber, which I found incredibly infuriating—not as infuriating as Siân Gwenllian did, because the only way you could contact him was by sending Siân a message: 'Siân, can you ask Steffan if I can talk to him about land transaction tax outside?' She would say, 'I am not his secretary.' In fact, that must be one of the things she said most to him during her time here—'Steffan, I'm not your secretary.' But you did a fine job as his secretary. He had that belief that you should not use a computer in the Chamber. He had that belief and he stuck to it. However annoying it was for the rest of us, he stuck to it. 

I knew Steffan when he was working in the Plaid Cymru office. I shared a kitchen with him. It's amazing how you know people from the strangest of things within the Assembly. I use the same kitchen as Plaid Cymru do and what I remember of Steffan is he was always pleasant, always polite and always had a smile on his face. I'll miss him, but not half as much as his family. 

I didn't know Steffan very well, but I just wanted to rise very briefly to say what a wonderful man he was. My enduring memory of Steffan is meeting him just by chance out walking with his family on the Cardiff barrage one balmy October day during that Indian summer that we had. And it was one happy family, out with Shona and their son, enjoying the sunshine. But, for me, it was such a poignant moment, for me, because I wondered how many more of these happy memories they were going to be able to share together. I just—. I think it's an absolute tragedy for his parents that they're having to bury their son before their time; that is just not the normal order of things, and that is, obviously, unbelievably painful. But, obviously, for Shona and Celyn, it leaves a huge gap in their lives. And I just wanted to say to Celyn that he was a truly amazing politician, as, hopefully, he will appreciate when he is a little bit older, and that he was such a courageous man and really did practice the kind of politics that Jack Sargeant promotes so regularly. 76

And I just want to say that it was such a privilege to know him, and I hope that he will inspire us all to up our game and to improve the level of debate that he showed us was perfectly possible without being cantankerous and party political. So, thank you so much, Steffan, and our condolences—I'm sure all of us—to his family. 

I was about to enter the Newbridge memorial hall on Friday evening when the news broke that my political opponent in Islwyn, and my also dear colleague, Steffan Lewis AM, had passed away. So, as many have said, my heart does go out to Steffan's wife, Shona, and son, Celyn. At our Islwyn Labour Party meeting of members, there was a genuine sadness at this tragic news, and that is because of the personality who Steffan is. The Islwyn Labour Party held a minute's silence for Steffan and tributes were paid to our countryman. He was highly proud of hailing from Islwyn, as we've already heard, having grown up in Cross Keys, and I know he is fondly remembered from his time as a child in Ysgol Gynradd Cwm Gwyddon in Abercarn, where my daughter also attended. And, today, we mark our respect for this true son of Wales and a true son of Islwyn, who I also respected greatly as a colleague in the Welsh Parliament, even though, as I said, we were ultimately political opponents. But there was much that we also agreed upon, and, as a sentiment in today's speeches, I think that we hear that loudly and clearly. 

But, ultimately, Steffan was a kind and sensitive human being, with a razor-sharp intellect. We were both elected to the National Assembly for Wales, as many have said, for the first time in 2016, and, as a member of the class, I also vouch loudly that Steffan was an energetic and principled politician who had so much more to give to Welsh public life. And we've already mentioned a kinder politics, which Jack Sargeant has already talked about at great length, and Steffan was the embodiment of that kinder politics. In the all too short time that he was able to serve as an Assembly Member, he demonstrated this with everything that he said and everything that he did—his ability and his calm manner. He used his considerable intellectual powers to make the case, as we've heard earlier in this Chamber, for the Assembly for Wales's rights to be respected following the Brexit negotiations. And it is probably Steffan's work on Brexit, in his capacity as party spokesman on the subject, where he had his biggest impact. But I will personally always remember him as a principled and decent politician and a decent human being—a sincere and dedicated servant to the people of Islwyn, and I believe we will all miss you. God rest you, Steffan. 

I remember hearing Steffan on the radio for the 2006 by-election in Blaenau Gwent—his speech for the declaration. I was in bed and I sat up in bed because his words were electrifying—really, really inspirational. I worked with Steffan in 2008, in the Caerphilly council elections, and we got to know each other better when we were first elected for the first time in 2016. And, some afternoons, we'd just pop over the road and have a quick drink and a quick chat and just talk about all kinds of things, especially politics and how things could be done better, and football—Celtic, Cardiff City. I'm really grateful to Steffan for those conversations. He was a really good man, who showed so much courage and dignity in the way that he came here, and in the way that he did things his way. His far too early passing is a real loss to our country, and I really hope that his family can take some comfort in the fact that so many people—every one of us who knew Steffan—thought so highly of him.

Llywydd, Steffan's voice was a strong voice on the constitution. He had a depth of understanding that allowed him to soar to the heights of political thought. Llywydd, we were both elected in 1999, and I don't think I've ever heard a more generous voice on fundamental matters. His knowledge and use of the parliamentary process allowed him to promote the concept of the continuity Act, as we've heard, something that put pressure on the Welsh and the UK Governments at a key moment in our history as an institution.

Steffan's authority, however, on constitutional matters was no dry or abstract thing; he spoke with energy and passion. But he also respected the views of others, like myself, who often reached different conclusions. What I found most noble and convincing in Steffan's constitutional insights was the need for a deliberative parliamentary democracy. That is what has been forged by the home nations of the United Kingdom. It is our taproot—something we should all cherish, whether our ultimate goal is an independent Wales or a rejuvenated devolved UK. How we need such wisdom today of all days, as Brexit arrives at a decision point in Parliament.

One of the last conversations I had with Steffan was about Alan Watkins's funny and irreverent account of the fall of Mrs Thatcher, A Conservative Coup. And Steffan had that mischievous humour too, seeing the foolishness of politics when it drifts from its firm foundations, as that book masterfully describes.

I extend my heartfelt condolences to Steffan's family and friends. Please be comforted by the knowledge that Steffan's was such a true voice it will never be lost to our memory.

To lose Steffan at such a tender age is obviously a tragic blow to his family and friends, to his party, Plaid Cymru, to the Assembly as a whole, and to Wales, given the significance of Steffan Lewis as a political figure and the ability that he had, the commitment that he had, which we've heard about across the Chamber today.

For me, Llywydd, my first memory of speaking to Steffan after he became an Assembly Member was when he brought those qualities to the fore, and that great concern that he had for Gwent, as we heard from Adam and others, when Steffan came up to me early on and said how committed he was to working across the political parties and how committed he was to understanding Gwent, representing the interests of Gwent, and being a champion for that geographical part of Wales. And it subsequently became very clear that he was absolutely genuine about that, as he was about everything else as well. So, I know that I speak for all of my Labour Gwent AM colleagues—Rhianon Passmore has spoken for herself, as it were—but all of us recognise that, that Steffan was so committed and genuine in that concern for Gwent and that determination to do all that he could for Gwent, but to work across the parties, and indeed with a variety of organisations, to that end.

As with others, I remember the walk to raise money for Velindre, where it was so clear what widespread support, and what important support, Steffan had from his family and friends, the political parties—again, across the Chamber—different organisations that he'd worked with over the years, and many others. It was also clear what a comfort that was to Steffan, how important it was to him to draw strength from that support, evidenced on the walk, but evidenced much more widely and generally as well. 

Also, Llywydd, I just wanted to echo what others said in terms of how brave Steffan was in using that horrible experience of suffering from cancer for a greater good—to be so willing to talk about the experience, to do interviews, to make public statements, to take part in debates, knowing how important it was for other people suffering from cancer and their families and their friends. He went into detail, which I think must be so important, significant and beneficial for other people suffering from cancer and their families and friends.

Obviously, it was very, very moving as well to read about the memoir that he was preparing for his son, his young son, who could read that when he was older and understand his father better and understand his father's beliefs and values and principles and draw from those in living his own life and making his own contribution. 

So, I just wanted to echo, on behalf of my local Labour colleagues, Llywydd, what so many others have said: what a nice, genuine, committed, able, talented human being Steffan Lewis was and how significant he was to his country. I, as others have said, hope that's some comfort to his family and friends at such an incredibly difficult time. 

I last spoke with Steffan on his last visit to the Assembly before Christmas, when I remember speaking to him outside the Chamber here in a break in debate. It was clear at that point how ill he was. I told him that we were—all of us, every one of us in the Chamber—rooting for him. He thanked me for that and he said it was the work as an Assembly Member that was keeping him going, that was inspiring him, and the affection, the love, that he felt from all of us Assembly Members was making that difference to him.

As has been said by his own party, who he loved dearly, and other Members in this Chamber, he was a boy of Gwent. He used to call me 'the boy of Monmouthshire'. I did point out that I was from Cwmbran originally and I could see his little eyes light up as he could think of all sorts of new insults or expressions that he could use in debate across the Chamber. [Laughter.] Sadly, those debates are not to be. But the legacy he leaves, and the feeling that he inspired all of us to feel, from whatever part of Wales that was, is something that will live with me forever.

Mike Hedges mentioned the Finance Committee. I had the privilege of sitting next to Steffan—it seems for a very long time, but, of course, it was only a couple of years since 2016 that we were on that committee together. And you're right, Mike, he used to love talking about the border, or, really, attacking people who wanted to talk about the border, and he would point out there were borders all across the world that didn't cause any problems at all in terms of trade and in terms of countries being separate. He was right there. Also, whenever there were discussions about Brexit or austerity, I'd hear this little voice in my ear, which was his voice, and he'd be prodding me, and he'd say, 'That's your lot, again, that is, isn't it? That's your lot in Westminster. How can you live with yourself?' Eventually, I just used to move the chair slightly to the right so he couldn't quite reach any more.

But it was a privilege to know Steffan since he got elected in 2016. I think it is very easy to say that people leave a legacy, but I think, as the former First Minister, Carwyn Jones, said earlier, his legacy is an immense one. I think, in his own way, he has had an effect on everyone in Wales, and, whether you agreed in the nationalist policy, or whatever party political view you aspire from, I think that he sold the message of his party so well that he drew everyone else in Wales a little nearer to his dreams, and I think, whatever happens down the road for this great country of ours that he was so proud of, he brought his dream a little closer to everyone's reality. 

This is a very dark day. It is an honour for me to be able to stand here to pay tribute to you, Steffan. Naturally, we sympathise deeply with your friends and your family, and there is an empty space in the chair next to me. The screen is still black. But there's a huge gap in our group, in our hears, in our lives—a gap where Steffan used to be. Steffan was the youngest Member of the Plaid Cymru group. He was the baby of the group, with a young family, and we are heartbroken.

You were an inspiration to us all, a hard and committed worker, living every minute for Wales and for the future of our nation. I will remember the endless discussions and debates over the very many years that I knew you, since the by-election back in the 1990s—I was there in Islwyn too—the discussions, many a time, about the history of Wales, the honourable history of our country, as a way of inspiring a nation. And how do you inspire a nation that knows not its history?

And a man of detail, too, of exquisite legislative detail, and creator of Wales's continuity Bill. Steffan was very conscious of the threat of Brexit to the very existence of Wales, and worked tirelessly to construct a protective legislative shield for our people. Steffan was a total inspiration to me personally, to this party of ours, to this Senedd and to Wales; a shining star, as many have said, with a huge talent and courage, especially these last months, as well as resilience of spirit, a resilience that we all need now. Our prayers are with Steffan's family, yes. Our loss is as nothing compared to their loss.

We often say on these Plaid benches, chairs, that we stand on the shoulders of the heroes of Welsh history longing for national freedom, the noblest of causes. Steffan is one of those heroes now.

Rest in peace, young Steffan.

Thank you to all Members for your tributes. It's clear that in his too short a time here, Steffan made an impression across this Chamber. Sitting here as I do, I watch many of you typing away as debates carry on around you. Steffan, as we've heard, didn't type. He had his computer disabled when he took his seat so he could listen to debates and take part in debate. Of course, he learnt there was a downside to that, as he then couldn't message me to ask to be called in a debate. However, he quickly learnt that a cheeky smile or a phone text, or Siân Gwenllian, were just as persuasive to get himself called to speak.

And who wouldn't call Steffan Lewis? What he had to say was worth hearing. I'd watch you all, First Ministers past and present, Ministers, backbenchers—you all listened to what Steffan had to say. He spoke with a quiet authority, a clarity of thought, always with something original to say. Steffan was the one to challenge the orthodoxy of the day, and that happened as much within Plaid Cymru as it did within this Chamber.

I first met Steffan during the first Assembly, when he was on work experience with Jocelyn Davies in his early teens. Steffan started his political life at a very young age. He was passionate about his politics then, and he realised his dream in 2016 when he was elected to his national Senedd as successor to Jocelyn Davies. Although his life was brief, Steffan packed a great deal into it, and he reminded us that we don't really measure the value of a life by its length.

Unlike a number of us, Steffan knew every detail of the history of his country, and a number of other countries too, not in order to romanticise that history, but rather to understand the history in order to plan the future, where everything would be possible for that country. And, although he was a very strong advocate for Gwent and the eastern Valleys where he had been brought up, and where the heritage of both languages—English and Welsh—were important to him, one of his continuous messages was the unity of Wales. He used to get annoyed if he heard too much talk about the north or the west. To him, Wales was one.

Steffan was both ordinary and extraordinary—he was kind and sincere and completely serious about his ambition for his country. His example will drive a number of us to work harder to realise his dreams for his nation and his community in his name.

In closing this meeting of tribute, I take this opportunity once again to sympathise on behalf of all of us with his family: his wife, Shona, and his young son, Celyn; his mother, Gail; his sister, Nia; and Neil, who are with us today. We will be thinking of you in the very difficult days and months to come. We will remember most dearly our friend Steffan, and thank the family for sharing him with us. To paraphrase Annest Glyn, the poet, from the past few days:

A soul who will shine forever bright,

And never shall be dimmed his light. 

Thank you, Steffan, and thank you all. 

Plenary was suspended at 13:51.

The Assembly reconvened at 14:00, with the Presiding Officer in the Chair.