Lord John Morris, ex-Welsh secretary and Blair attorney general dies

The erstwhile Cabinet curate and Welsh Labour MP Lord Morris of Aberavon has died astatine the property of 91.

John Morris served successful the cabinets of 3 Labour premier ministers - Harold Wilson, Jim Callaghan and Tony Blair.

A erstwhile Welsh caput and lawyer general, helium became Wales' longest-serving MP aft representing Aberavon for much than 4 decades, from 1959 to 2001.

Paying tribute, Sir Tony Blair, said Lord Morris was "immensely capable, could ever beryllium relied upon and ne'er deviated from having the interests of the state astatine heart".

BBC broadcaster Huw Edwards described Lord Morris arsenic "one of the astir distinguished Welshmen of his time" and "one of the fathers of devolution".

Lord Morris entered authorities arsenic parliamentary caput astatine the Ministry of Power betwixt 1964 and 1966 successful the Wilson administration, aboriginal moving to the Ministry of Transport and becoming curate of defence (equipment) successful 1968.

In 1974, erstwhile Labour returned to powerfulness aft astir 4 years successful opposition, helium was appointed Welsh caput and had the task of taking the party's ill-fated archetypal devolution authorities done a hostile House of Commons.

An emphatic 'no' ballot of astir 80% successful the 1979 referendum followed the concern and economical turmoil of what became known arsenic the wintertime of discontent.

Hearing the ballot results, Lord Morris pronounced that erstwhile "you spot an elephant connected the doorstep you can't disregard it".

The Labour government, led by Jim Callaghan for the erstwhile 3 years, was soon swept from power.

Lord Morris, a barrister, QC and Welsh speaker, returned to precocious bureau arsenic authorities lawyer general, oregon main ineligible adviser, successful 1997, pursuing Tony Blair's archetypal landslide victory.

He held that station for 2 years.

One of the main issues helium faced arsenic lawyer wide was the engagement of UK forces successful Nato airstrikes against Serb forces successful 1999.

Looking backmost connected the period, Lord Morris said: "I had to authorise aerial attacks successful Kosovo connected a regular ground according to what I thought was the close mode of doing it without UN Security Council approval.

"We were breaking caller ground. But erstwhile you person taste cleansing connected the standard you had successful Kosovo, erstwhile thousands and thousands of radical are moved from their homes due to the fact that of their background, religion and ethnicity, past thing has to beryllium done.

"I took a precise elemental view.

"If there's a burglar attacking your location and raping members of your family, and the constabulary constable won't intervene, there's nary clip to spell to the main constable, oregon to the lasting associated committee, you've got to bash thing different it's excessively late.

"And immoderate of us, though we were lone children, retrieve the Holocaust and the inheritance of taste cleansing successful the past, it inactive haunts america adjacent though we were not there, to realise what was happening."

Paying "fond and heartfelt tribute" to his erstwhile lawyer general, Sir Tony Blair said helium "personally was hugely grateful to him, peculiarly done the hard times of the Kosovo conflict".

"John Morris lived a beingness of exemplary nationalist service," helium said.

"His bonzer career, being a curate nether 3 antithetic Labour leaders, was unprecedented.

"But the crushed premier ministers similar myself chose him truthful regularly was due to the fact that of his quality and demeanour.

"He was immensely capable, could ever beryllium relied upon and ne'er deviated from having the interests of the state astatine heart."

In the aboriginal months of the caller Blair authorities a 2nd devolution referendum paved the mode for the instauration of a Welsh assembly, which aboriginal became the much almighty Senedd Cymru.

In 2015, Lord Morris told a tv documentary that determination had been "very small difference" betwixt the instrumentality that established the assembly and the 1 helium steered done Westminster successful 1978.

"New enactment wasn't needed and that's however the measurement was prepared truthful quickly," helium said.

"My fingers were connected the strings of that harp from opening to end."

Lord David Wolfson of Tredegar KC said helium was "deeply sorry" to perceive the news.

"We discussed the past of Jews successful South Wales and particularly Tredegar - and helium kindly gave maine a measurement connected the topic," said Lord Wolfson.

On Twitter, Aberavon Labour added that the quality had been met with "great sadness" by the group.

Pedr ap Llwyd, main enforcement of the National Library of Wales, said Lord Morris was a "true friend" of the library.

"Our heartfelt condolences spell retired to Lady Morris and her family. We volition surely miss his beingness astatine the library."