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| Obituary: Jeremy Thorpe | Obituary: Jeremy Thorpe |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Jeremy Thorpe, who has died aged 85 after a long battle with Parkinson's Disease, led the Liberal Party with flair and flamboyance. | |
| His energetic campaigning and powerful oratory attracted many voters and he came close to achieving a share of government for his party. | His energetic campaigning and powerful oratory attracted many voters and he came close to achieving a share of government for his party. |
| Under his leadership, the Liberals looked to be regaining their position as a strong force in British politics. | Under his leadership, the Liberals looked to be regaining their position as a strong force in British politics. |
| But his political career ended when his life was engulfed in scandal and he faced trial on charges of conspiracy and incitement to murder. | But his political career ended when his life was engulfed in scandal and he faced trial on charges of conspiracy and incitement to murder. |
| John Jeremy Thorpe was born in Surrey on 29 April 1929. | John Jeremy Thorpe was born in Surrey on 29 April 1929. |
| He came from a Conservative family - both his father and grandfather were Tory MPs. One of his ancestors was Mr Speaker Thorpe of Edward II's Parliament, who was beheaded by a mob in 1461. | He came from a Conservative family - both his father and grandfather were Tory MPs. One of his ancestors was Mr Speaker Thorpe of Edward II's Parliament, who was beheaded by a mob in 1461. |
| Election success | Election success |
| He was sent to a school in Connecticut in 1940 to escape the Blitz. | He was sent to a school in Connecticut in 1940 to escape the Blitz. |
| One historian has suggested that the liberal regime at his American school played a large part in formulating his political thinking and was, no doubt, a huge contrast to Eton where he went from 1943. | One historian has suggested that the liberal regime at his American school played a large part in formulating his political thinking and was, no doubt, a huge contrast to Eton where he went from 1943. |
| He read law at Trinity College, Oxford where he cut a dash, both by wearing Edwardian-style clothes and as a noted debater. He became chairman of the Liberal Club and then the Oxford Union. | He read law at Trinity College, Oxford where he cut a dash, both by wearing Edwardian-style clothes and as a noted debater. He became chairman of the Liberal Club and then the Oxford Union. |
| While training as a barrister he set out to find a parliamentary seat and was selected for Conservative-held North Devon, firmly in the west country Liberal heartland. | While training as a barrister he set out to find a parliamentary seat and was selected for Conservative-held North Devon, firmly in the west country Liberal heartland. |
| His energetic campaigning, and inspiring performances as an orator saw him halve the Conservative majority in the 1955 general election. | His energetic campaigning, and inspiring performances as an orator saw him halve the Conservative majority in the 1955 general election. |
| Just four years later, he won the seat by the narrowest of margins, a rare Liberal triumph in what had been a poor election showing for the party elsewhere in the country. | Just four years later, he won the seat by the narrowest of margins, a rare Liberal triumph in what had been a poor election showing for the party elsewhere in the country. |
| Conference favourite | Conference favourite |
| He entered the 1960s as a pioneering campaigner for human rights, attacking South Africa's policy of apartheid and the post-colonial excesses in South East Asia. | He entered the 1960s as a pioneering campaigner for human rights, attacking South Africa's policy of apartheid and the post-colonial excesses in South East Asia. |
| He also achieved a reputation as something of a wit exemplified by his observation on Harold Macmillan's dismissal of a third of the Conservative cabinet in 1962. | He also achieved a reputation as something of a wit exemplified by his observation on Harold Macmillan's dismissal of a third of the Conservative cabinet in 1962. |
| "Greater love hath no man than this," quipped Thorpe, "that he lay down his friends for his life". | "Greater love hath no man than this," quipped Thorpe, "that he lay down his friends for his life". |
| He became a favourite at Liberal party conferences and served as the party's treasurer before being elected leader in 1967 promising to turn the Liberals into a radical pioneering force. | He became a favourite at Liberal party conferences and served as the party's treasurer before being elected leader in 1967 promising to turn the Liberals into a radical pioneering force. |
| However Edward Heath's win in the 1970 general election dashed hopes of a Liberal revival and shortly after it Thorpe's young wife Caroline was killed in a car crash. | However Edward Heath's win in the 1970 general election dashed hopes of a Liberal revival and shortly after it Thorpe's young wife Caroline was killed in a car crash. |
| Three years later he married Marion Stein, a noted concert pianist and the divorced wife of the Queen's first cousin, the Earl of Harewood. | Three years later he married Marion Stein, a noted concert pianist and the divorced wife of the Queen's first cousin, the Earl of Harewood. |
| Helped by Thorpe's elegant appearance and charismatic style, the Liberals won 14 seats in the February 1974 election. | Helped by Thorpe's elegant appearance and charismatic style, the Liberals won 14 seats in the February 1974 election. |
| With a hung parliament, Conservative leader, Edward Heath, approached Thorpe to discuss a possible coalition. | With a hung parliament, Conservative leader, Edward Heath, approached Thorpe to discuss a possible coalition. |
| Thorpe was attracted by the offer of a seat in Cabinet, but met opposition from his own MPs. | Thorpe was attracted by the offer of a seat in Cabinet, but met opposition from his own MPs. |
| Denial | Denial |
| In the event, Harold Wilson's clear victory in the October 1974 election ended any hopes that the Liberals might have a share of power. | In the event, Harold Wilson's clear victory in the October 1974 election ended any hopes that the Liberals might have a share of power. |
| Within two years, stories were circulating about Thorpe's relationship with a former male model, Norman Scott. | Within two years, stories were circulating about Thorpe's relationship with a former male model, Norman Scott. |
| It was made worse because the relationship was alleged to have started in 1961, when male homosexual acts were illegal. | It was made worse because the relationship was alleged to have started in 1961, when male homosexual acts were illegal. |
| The story broke when Scott was appearing at a court in Barnstaple on a minor social security charge. | The story broke when Scott was appearing at a court in Barnstaple on a minor social security charge. |
| During the hearing, Scott shouted out, "I am being hounded because of my sexual relationship with Jeremy Thorpe." He gave a statement to the police but no action was taken. | During the hearing, Scott shouted out, "I am being hounded because of my sexual relationship with Jeremy Thorpe." He gave a statement to the police but no action was taken. |
| Trial | Trial |
| Thorpe issued an immediate denial but when an affectionate letter between them appeared in the press, Thorpe resigned as leader. | Thorpe issued an immediate denial but when an affectionate letter between them appeared in the press, Thorpe resigned as leader. |
| But worse was to come. Eighteen months later, a man called Andrew Newton was released from prison. | But worse was to come. Eighteen months later, a man called Andrew Newton was released from prison. |
| He had been jailed on charges arising from an incident on Exmoor in which Norman Scott's dog, Rinka, was shot. | He had been jailed on charges arising from an incident on Exmoor in which Norman Scott's dog, Rinka, was shot. |
| He claimed that he had been paid by a leading Liberal supporter to kill Scott because of his blackmail threats but said he had lost his nerve and shot the dog instead. | He claimed that he had been paid by a leading Liberal supporter to kill Scott because of his blackmail threats but said he had lost his nerve and shot the dog instead. |
| Nine more months of police investigation led to Thorpe and three associates being charged with conspiring to murder Scott. | Nine more months of police investigation led to Thorpe and three associates being charged with conspiring to murder Scott. |
| The 1979 trial was postponed for eight days at Thorpe's request so that he could contest his North Devon seat in the May general election. He was heavily defeated. | The 1979 trial was postponed for eight days at Thorpe's request so that he could contest his North Devon seat in the May general election. He was heavily defeated. |
| The trial attracted reporters from all over the world. It took 20 days for the prosecution to present its case to the jury while defence evidence occupied just a single day. | The trial attracted reporters from all over the world. It took 20 days for the prosecution to present its case to the jury while defence evidence occupied just a single day. |
| Amnesty International | Amnesty International |
| On the advice of his barrister, George Carman QC, Thorpe and his co-defendants elected not to go into the witness box. | On the advice of his barrister, George Carman QC, Thorpe and his co-defendants elected not to go into the witness box. |
| Eventually, after six weeks, the charges were dismissed. For two years Jeremy Thorpe stayed out of the public eye. | Eventually, after six weeks, the charges were dismissed. For two years Jeremy Thorpe stayed out of the public eye. |
| But the affair resurfaced again when one of his co-defendants, David Holmes, a former deputy treasurer of the Liberal Party, wrote a series of articles for the News of the World newspaper. | But the affair resurfaced again when one of his co-defendants, David Holmes, a former deputy treasurer of the Liberal Party, wrote a series of articles for the News of the World newspaper. |
| In the first of them he claimed that Thorpe did incite him to murder Norman Scott. Thorpe's solicitor immediately issued a rebuttal and the director of public prosecutions said there was no question of another trial. | In the first of them he claimed that Thorpe did incite him to murder Norman Scott. Thorpe's solicitor immediately issued a rebuttal and the director of public prosecutions said there was no question of another trial. |
| But Thorpe's public life was finished. | But Thorpe's public life was finished. |
| Shortly after his acquittal he was offered the post of director general of the British section of Amnesty International. | Shortly after his acquittal he was offered the post of director general of the British section of Amnesty International. |
| He had previously been a valuable source of information to the organisation, particularly on the subject of human rights abuses in Ghana. | He had previously been a valuable source of information to the organisation, particularly on the subject of human rights abuses in Ghana. |
| But there was huge opposition from Amnesty's members and the appointment was never made. | But there was huge opposition from Amnesty's members and the appointment was never made. |
| His later years saw the onset of Parkinson's Disease. But he kept in close touch with the Westminster he loved, despite painful memories. | His later years saw the onset of Parkinson's Disease. But he kept in close touch with the Westminster he loved, despite painful memories. |
| He became the President of the North Devon Liberal Association, later Liberal Democrat Association, and received a standing ovation when he appeared at the 1997 Liberal Democrat conference. | He became the President of the North Devon Liberal Association, later Liberal Democrat Association, and received a standing ovation when he appeared at the 1997 Liberal Democrat conference. |
| In an interview in 2009 the ailing former politician reflected on the events that had brought him down | In an interview in 2009 the ailing former politician reflected on the events that had brought him down |
| "If it happened now," he said, " I think the public would be kinder." | "If it happened now," he said, " I think the public would be kinder." |