Lord Stoddart RIP

(above left) Lord Stoddart alongside Lady Michèle Renouf at the showing of her film Palestine Scrapbook in 2002, which he and Dr James Thring (second right) organised at the House of Lords.

One of Britain's most independent-minded politicians has died aged 94.

Lord Stoddart, the former Labour MP Richard Stoddart, was probably best known for his consistent opposition to Britain's membership of the European Union, which he campaigned against for more than half a century, living to see eventual victory in the Brexit referendum.

He was also a consistent supporter of the oppressed Palestinian people, and it was under Lord Stoddart's auspices in cooperation with Dr James Thring that Lady Michèle Renouf's first documentary film Palestine Scrapbook was shown at the House of Lords in 2002.

The film documents unique interviews with surviving British servicemen who fought against Zionist terrorism in Palestine during the forgotten war of 1945-48.

Today's Guardian obituary accurately and generously (given that today's Guardianistas would almost all be passionately opposed to Lord Stoddart's anti-EU stance) describes Stoddart as "a template for the sort of diligent decency found in the Labour party in his political generation" and "a singularly independent-minded politician".

Lord Stoddart remained active and dilegent in pursuit of that independent vision until the end: Hansard records that his last parliamentary votes were cast just five days before his death.