York Membery reports on the unveiling of the statue to David Lloyd George, Liberal Prime Minister 1916–22, in Parliament Square. A STATUE FOR LLOyd GEORge he great and the good put aside political differences, Tat least for a few hours, to unveil a statue of Liberal Leader and Prime Minister David Lloyd George late last year. The weather might have been suita- bly Welsh, but the drizzle failed to dampen the proceedings at than Lloyd George – see Journal After the statue’s unveiling, the event in Parliament Square 57) and Conservative Leader guests withdrew to the Meth- on Thursday 25 October, when David Cameron. odist Central Hall for a cham- the £350,000 statue to the The unveiling of the statue pagne reception attended by the ‘Welsh Wizard’ was unveiled – designed by Welsh sculptor Prince of Wales and Sir John by the Prince of Wales and the Professor Glynn Williams – was Major among others. Duchess of Cornwall in front of organised by the David Lloyd Perhaps fittingly, given the Royal Welsh bandsmen. George Statue Appeal Trust fol- controversy he attracted in life, ‘In the course of a decade, lowing a long campaign to erect the unveiling of Lloyd George’s David Lloyd George established a fitting memorial to one of statue itself proved contro- himself as one of the greatest Britain’s greatest premiers. versial, even though it took social reformers and war leaders The Patrons of the Trust place more than sixty years of the twentieth century’, said included the Prince of Wales, after his death. On the day of Prince Charles. ‘And though he Paddy Ashdown, Betty the unveiling, a letter in The never forgot his Welsh roots, it Boothroyd and John Major. Daily Telegraph signed by Nobel is as a national and international The trustees included Michael Prize-winning playwright statesman that he will best be Heseltine, Emlyn Hooson, Lord Harold Pinter and left-wing remembered.’ Morris of Aberavon (the former journalist John Pilger attacked The official party included Labour MP) and Dick Newby. the bombing by British war Prime Minister Gordon Brown The late Ted Heath and Jim planes of the Middle East dur- and former premiers Marga- Callaghan had also been trus- ing Lloyd George’s premier- ret Thatcher and John Major. tees until their deaths. ship, which they claimed made Prince Charles was Patron of ‘It’s been a long time in the ‘today’s celebration of Lloyd the Appeal Trust Commit- making, but it’s there now’, George’s legacy highly topical tee formed to commission the said Professor Williams at the and disgraceful’. statue in recognition of Lloyd unveiling of the eight-foot-tall But rubbishing their attack, George’s contribution to public bronze statue, which stands on the historian Kenneth O. life. Also present were acting Welsh slate between two states- Morgan surely spoke for Lloyd Liberal Democrat Leader Vince men who were close to Lloyd George supporters everywhere Cable, leadership candidate George – Field Marshal Jan when he observed, ‘Lloyd Chris Huhne (who last year told Smuts, and his friend and some- George was a great radical and the Journal of Liberal History that time political rival Winston a democrat who deserves to be his political hero was none other Churchill. honoured’. 34 Journal of Liberal History 58 Spring 2008.