Lord Healey accepts lifetime achievement award

Former chancellor Lord Healey was the guest of honour at a reception in the Speaker's apartment last night.

He was there to receive a lifetime achievement award from the House magazine.

It was presented to him by his friend and former House of Commons sparring partner, Lord Howe.

In his welcoming speech Mr Speaker called Lord Healey "one of the outstanding figures of post-war politics, supported tonight by his wife of 63 years, Edna".

His daughters and grand-daughters were also in attendance.

Mr Speaker said:

"I think most people gathered here would say that Denis Healey is an intellectual, a bibliophile, a statesman, was a distinguished soldier, and ranging from opera to painting and literature and photography, you are someone who is the living embodiment of that varied hinterland.

"In short, you are a great man and we're thrilled to have you here today."

Lord Howe spoke of the close friendship he and Lord Healey had shared for many years.

"We were introduced to the House of Lords on the same day, and we both married our wives in the same church," he revealed.

Accepting the award, Lord Healey spoke about their relationship.

"Geoffrey and I have been good friends for most of our political lives, but when you're over 80 all your enemies become your friends," he said.

"I have enjoyed my life in politics enormously.

"Although it is about power rather than love, it is a necessary profession.

"Because if you want to stop wars, you have got to go in to politics, because wars are made by governments and not anyone else."

Lord Healey also paid an emotional tribute to his wife.

"I have enjoyed the whole of my life, not least of course because of a very, very happy marriage," he said.

"I had a long time in the House of Commons, and in government, but on the whole I think I have enjoyed my time since those times more, partly because I have so much more time to spend on my real loves, which are the arts, and the love of my family and their love for me.

"When Maggie Thatcher was prime minister she said every prime minister needs a Willie.

"I would say that in my lifetime I have always had four.

"Shakespeare, Blake, Wordsworth and Yeats, and they have given me more pleasure than anybody in the political world.

"I would like to finish with a few words written by Shakespeare about Edna, three centuries before she was born."

He then recited the sonnet "Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?"

The House magazine's life president, Sir Patrick Cormack, said these two "true parliamentarians" had both given the Commons a good name.

"The relationship between Geoffrey Howe and Denis Healey, and between Elspeth (Lady Howe) and Edna, a most distinguished author, exemplifies what is best about British politics," he said.

"The true parliamentarians, and those two are both true parliamentarians, can knock the hell out of each other in the chamber but they know that there are other things that unite them, most of all a belief in this place."

Born in 1917, Denis Healey was Military Landing Officer for the British assault brigade at Anzio during World War II.

He was elected to represent a Leeds constituency in 1952 and represented the city in the Commons for 40 years.

When Labour won the 1964 election Healey served six years as defence secretary.

He was appointed chancellor of the exchequer in March 1974 and remained in that job until 1979. He was Labour's deputy leader from 1980 to 1982.

Many distinguished MPs and former members attended last night's event, among them former Commons Speaker Baroness Boothroyd, former Cabinet ministers Margaret Beckett, Clare Short, Jack Cunningham, Tom King and Malcolm Rifkind.

MPs from all parties also attended, among them Jenny Willott, Geoff Hoon and Sir Peter Tapsell.