1. Tributes to Steffan Lewis AM

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 1:29 pm on 15 January 2019.

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Photo of Jenny Rathbone Jenny Rathbone Labour 1:29, 15 January 2019

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.