Elystan Morgan, Baron Elystan-Morgan
| Lord Elystan-Morgan | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
Dafydd Elystan Morgan 1 December 1932 |
| Title | Baron Elystan-Morgan, of Aberteifi in the County of Dyfed |
| Other names | Dafydd Elystan Elystan-Morgan |
| Nationality |
 Welsh |
| Residence | 'Carreg Afon', Dole, Ceredigion, Wales |
| Spouse(s) | Alwen Roberts (1959–2006) |
| Issue | Eleri Elystan Morgan (b. 1960), Owain Elystan Morgan (b. 1962) |
| Parents | Dewi Morgan (1877–1971) and Olwen Jones (1900-1947) |
| Occupation | Judge and politician |
Dafydd Elystan Elystan-Morgan, Baron Elystan-Morgan (born 7 December 1932), known as Elystan Morgan, is a Welsh politician. He sits as a Crossbencher in the House of Lords.[1]
Morgan was educated at Ardwyn Grammar School, Aberystwyth and the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth. He became a solicitor.
Originally a Plaid Cymru candidate, Morgan contested Wrexham three times, at the by-election in 1955, and at the general elections in 1955 and in 1959, and contested Merioneth at the general election in 1964.
Morgan joined the Labour Party and was elected Member of Parliament for Cardiganshire, Wales at the 1966 general election, and served as a junior minister from 1968 to 1970, as Under-Secretary at the Home Office He was chairman of the Welsh Parliamentary Labour Party between 1971 and 1974. In the February 1974 general election, Morgan lost his seat to the Liberal, Geraint Howells. In 1979 he sought election as Labour candidate for Anglesey, following the retirement of Cledwyn Hughes, but was defeated by the Conservative, Keith Best. Following his defeat he largely withdrew from political life and concentrated on his legal career.
In 1959, Morgan married Alwen Roberts. They had two children, a daughter called Eleri born in 1960 and a son, Owain, born in 1962. Lady Elystan-Morgan died in 2006.[2]
He was admitted to Gray's Inn in 1971, entitled to practise as a barrister. He was created a Life peer on 27 May 1981, with the title Baron Elystan-Morgan, of Aberteifi in the County of Dyfed.[3] He held the office of Recorder between 1983 and 1987. He held the office of Circuit Judge between 1987 and 2003.
On 6 March 2007, Morgan supported the abolition of the blasphemy laws of the UK, quoting Richard Dawkins' description of God as "a petty, unjust, unforgiving control freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully". A deacon in the Presbyterian Church of Wales at Capel-y-Garn in Pen-y-garn, he was making the point that God did not need the protection of the law. [4]
Works
- Elystan - Atgofion Oes (2012)
References
- ↑
- ↑ 'Elystan-Morgan, Baron (Morgan) (Life Baron 1981)' in Debrett's Peerage & Baronetage (online edition, accessed 23 January 2012), P484
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 48624. p. 7455. 1 June 1981.
- ↑
- House of Lords: alphabetical list of Members Link to page with Lord Elystan-Morgan's details
- Times Guide to the House of Commons, 1966 and October 1974
- Sir Emyr Jones Parry appointed President of the University University of Aberystwyth, 5 July 2007
External links
- Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Elystan Morgan
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Roderic Bowen |
Member of Parliament for Cardiganshire 1966 – February 1974 |
Succeeded by Geraint Howells |
| Academic offices | ||
| Preceded by Melvin Rosser |
President of the University of Wales Aberystwyth 1997–2007 |
Succeeded by Emyr Jones Parry |