Tag Archives: peter ustinov

The lasting legacy of a Liberal lion

Amongst the worries about the pandemic, despite the concerns of the present, beyond the developments in our politics, there is the personal. Whether an individual can make a difference, and that he or she ought to and should, there is the essence of a Liberalism we can favour.

This year has been the centenary of the birth of Sir Peter Ustinov. This is a man who made a difference. As a performer versatile enough to be an actor and an entertainer, he delighted in numerous productions on stage and screen. As a creator, he was a writer and director, who was often a force behind those numerous productions. And then there was Peter Ustinov the inspirer, an ambassador and campaigner.

As a man of social conscience and charitable disposition, he was a natural and lifelong Liberal. He voted for the Liberal party and then the Liberal Democrats, throughout his life. His autobiographical and other biographical appraisals record his liberalism from his precocious school years, in debates and activities. Throughout his travels, he extolled the virtues and values of Liberalism. Even in the US during the height of the McCarthy witch  hunt,  he noted:

… the different meaning for that noble word “liberal,” which in America has become dissociated from its essential humanism and sense of equity, and now apparently means a kind of embryonic commie, a nuisance who asks embarrassing and subversive questions.

Posted in Op-eds | 14 Comments
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Recent Comments

  • Richard Church
    I joined ULS 50 years ago this month, at Reading University, but didn't join the Liberal Party until a year or so later. The things that attracted me? Industria...
  • Tim Rogers
    Interesting polling by YouGov last week had a massive 91pc of LibDem voters drawn to a closer relationship with the EU short of full membership or CU or SM. It ...
  • BigTallTim
    Congrats Simon. I can only claim 45 years activism, having joined the SDP at its launch. Including the pleasure of being a Councillor for 26 years - 1986-96 and...
  • Geoff Reid
    Interesting to hear of Simon being Treasurer of the Union of Liberal Students. I was the North Regional Treasurer of ULS in 1967. After my appointment the bank ...
  • Ruth Bright
    How lovely Simon. Congratulations. Here's to the next 50!...