1. Tributes to Steffan Lewis AM

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 12:58 pm on 15 January 2019.

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Photo of Paul Davies Paul Davies Conservative 12:58, 15 January 2019

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.