Tributes have been paid to former Southport MP Lord Ronnie Fearn OBE after his tragic death at the age of 90.
Lord Fearn was a hugely popular MP, who was first elected as a Liberal Member of Parliament for Southport (later to become Liberal Democrat) in 1987 – the first Liberal to win the seat in the resort since the 1920s.
He lost to Conservative Matthew Banks in 1992 but then regained the seat in 1997, serving until 2001.
It was a victory for dedication and perseverance, after contesting the seat four times in the 1970s.
When he was first elected, he did so despite Southport having returned Conservative MPs for the previous 63 years, ever since 1924.
That he won his first seat in 1987, in a year when Margaret Thatcher won her third General Election by a landslide 102 seats, just shows the popularity and deep community roots he held in his home town.
Lord Fearn was still working as a councillor in his 80s, before stepping down just six years ago.
He said that Southport has always been the ‘‘gem’’ of his career.
Lord Fearn served Southport with distinction in local politics too for many years, with over 50 years of service for both Sefton Council and the Merseyside County Council, having been first elected in 1974.
Lord Fearn’s political life began as a youth leader at All Souls, where he met his future wife, Joyce.
He was then elected to Southport county borough council when he won the old Craven Ward, which ran from Forest Road to High Park.
He was leader of the Liberal Democrat group when Southport Borough Council was abolished and replaced by the new Sefton Council in 1974. He also sat on the old Merseyside County Council until it was dissolved by Margaret Thatcher. He has sat in council chambers, the House of Commons and Lords, and watched the old Liberal Party transform into the SDP-Liberal Alliance and then into its current guise, the Liberal Democrats.
Speaking when he retired five years ago, Lord Fearn said saving Southport Pier from its threatened demolition was one of his proudest legacies.
He said: “I helped secure the £2million grant that paid for the refurbishment of Southport Pier. I brought the whole of the media, sport and tourism select committee to Southport, to view the dilapidated structure.
“I have travelled the world as an MP visiting sports stadia in Kuala Lumpur, Sydney and Melbourne, and always extolled the town’s virtues. And now everyone knows where the town is. Southport has always been the gem of my career.’’
Before his retirement, Lord Fearn represented Norwood Ward, and was Sefton’s longest continuous serving councillor with 42 years continuous service and a series of local election victories..
He said: “It took me five goes to become an MP, and at one point I had a majority of 25,000. I have been a shadow spokesman on transport, housing, and sat on a European sub-committee. I was chief whip in the Commons too.”
He received a life peerage and joined the House of Lords as Baron Fearn of Southport in 2001. He retired from the House on 11 July 2018.
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Lord Fearn was also an enthusiastic member of All Souls Dramatic Club for many years, which he founded.
He said: “I have watched the group grow over the years, and helped them to find the right equipment when they needed it. They now play to an audience of 4,000 during the pantomime season at The Atkinson. That is a source of great pride.”
In 1955, Lord Fearn married Joyce Edna Dugan; they had a son, Martin, and a daughter, Susan.
Outside of politics, Lord Fearn lists his recreations as badminton, amateur dramatics and athletics.
Current Southport MP Damien Moore said: “I am saddened to hear of the passing of Ronnie Fearn, Southport’s former Member of Parliament.
“Ronnie served Southport well, from his time as MP right through to his almost two decades in the House of Lords.
“His passion for celebrating our town is something that is widely recognised.
So sad to hear that Ronnie Fearn has passed away. He was a lovely man, a great representative of Southport and a true gent. Left me with a smile every time we met pic.twitter.com/XZeCTdtxFX
— Carl Cashman (@CarlCashman) January 25, 2022
“My thoughts are with Ronnie’s family at this difficult time.”
Leader of Sefton Council Cllr Ian Maher said: “I was saddened to hear of Lord Fearn’s passing.
“Ronnie worked tirelessly on behalf of his constituents both as a longstanding Sefton councillor and as an MP.
“He was also a formidable political opponent and I would like to pay tribute to him on behalf of Sefton Council and extend our thoughts and sympathies to his family.”
Happy Days of Yore. Ronnie Fearn as we remember him. R.I.P. pic.twitter.com/FmrRHOXWh0
— John Pugh (@johnpugh2017) January 25, 2022
Former Southport MP John Pugh said: “Ronnie was a one-off, a true phenomenon.Although he will long be remembered for his political career, in no sense was he a typical politician but a man who loved and was interested in people- their common concerns and individual differences.I have met very few politicians with more instinct for what bothers and what pleases ordinary folk,young and old.
“Linked into his community in so many ways it was hard to find a street in Southport where no-one claimed to know him personally. He was truly a mould-breaking politician being the only Lib Dems gain in the 1987 General Election. Despite that and latter success and responsibilities, he continued delighting everyone by performing and producing the legendary All Souls pantomines- never losing his sense of proportion amidst the absurdities of Westminster.
Sad to read that Ronnie Fearn has passed away at the age of 90. From the day I started as a photographer for the Southport Visiter in 1993 he was always supportive and wanted what was best for the town and the people.
— Gareth Jones (@photogareth) January 26, 2022
“He remained on the local Council throughout his political life and we wouldn’t have a Pier today without him. He richly deserves the epithet ‘Mr Southport’.However, the key thing that many who knew him will recall most about Ronnie is not his obvious success or achievements but his kindness and awareness. He was enormously supportive of those who worked with or for him -the team- and the first person at any event to remember and thank the staff, the workers, the people others sometimes took for granted. That feeling for and appreciation of the lot of others made Ronnie Fearn special.
“It’s not a cliche to say our thoughts and prayers go out to Ronnie, Joyce and the family.”
Former Southport Liberal Democrat Councillor Nigel Ashton was Lord Fearn’s Campaign manager in the 1987 General Election.
He said: “I’m very sad to hear that Ronnie Fearn died yesterday. Ronnie was the Liberal / Lib Dem MP for Southport from 1987-92 and 1997-2001. He was a Southport Borough Councillor from 1963 until reorganisation in 1974, was one of the original three Liberals on Sefton Council in 1974 and served as councillor for Norwood Ward throughout until 2016.
“I was Ronnie’s campaign manager for the 1987 General Election when we made the breakthrough in Southport and worked closely with him on many election campaigns in Norwood Ward.
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