For the American actor of the same name, please see Gareth Williams.

Gareth Wyn Williams, Baron Williams of Mostyn (February 5, 1941 - September 20, 2003) was a British Labour Party politician who was Leader of the House of Lords, Lord President of the Council and a member of the Cabinet at the time of his sudden death in 2003.

Williams was born near Prestatyn, in north Wales, a son of Albert Thomas Williams and his wife Selina, née Evans. He was educated at Rhyl Grammar School and at Queens' College, Cambridge.

He had a successful legal career, becoming a Queen's Counsel, Recorder, Deputy High Court Judge and Chairman of the Bar council. He was made a life peer in 1992 and became an opposition spokesman in the House of Lords on Legal Affairs, and later Northern Ireland. After Labour's election victory he became a Home Office minister, and in 1999 was appointed Attorney General. He became Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal in 2001 (switching over to Lord President of the Council in 2003)

Lord Williams married firstly in 1962 Pauline, daughter of Ernest Clarke, and by her had two daughters, Martha (born 1963) and Emma (born 1966), and a son, Daniel (born 1969). They divorced, and he married secondly in 1994 V. M. Russell, and by her had one daughter, Imogen.

He collapsed and died suddenly at his home in Gloucestershire, at the age of 62. He was survived by his four children.

Reference

• Burke's Peerage & Baronetage (106th edition, 1999) edited by Charles Mosley

External links

• "Interview: Lord Williams" - Guardian Unlimited Politics interview with Lord Williams by Julian Glover, dated Friday, June 28, 2002, giving the peer's views on reform of the House of Lords
• "Leader of House of Lords dies" - BBC News article, dated Saturday, September 20, 2003
• "Lords loses smooth operator" - BBC News article, dated Saturday, September 20, 2003
• "Tributes to a superb wit" - BBC News article, dated Saturday, September 20, 2003