Oration for Lord Barry Jones

I am delighted to present Lord Barry Jones for the award of Honorary Fellow of Wrexham University and to welcome him and his wife, Lady Janet Jones, also an Honorary Fellow, to our ceremony today.

Lord Barry Jones, whose illustrious career has spanned more than 50 years epitomises commitment to public service.

Born on 26 June 1939, Lord Jones was educated at Hawarden Grammar School and Bangor College of Education. He became head of English at Deeside High School before going on to become president of the Flint County National Union of Teachers. He also served for two years in the Royal Welsh Regiment of Fusiliers.

Lord Jones became the Member of Parliament for East Flintshire from 1970 to 1983. He was a parliamentary under-secretary of state for Wales from 1974 to 1979 and became MP for Alyn and Deeside in 1983. In 1994, he was appointed by the Prime Minister as a member of the then new Intelligence and Security Committee. After an unbroken spell of more than 30 years in which he fought eight general elections, Lord Jones retired from the House of Commons in 2001 and was made a life peer with the title Baron Jones, of Deeside in the County of Clwyd.  On his retirement, reflecting on his years as an MP, he noted that there were challenges along the way and quipped: “As Mr Gladstone said … even when you think you’ve solved the matter, people change the question”.

Now, at the age of 86, he remains an active member of the House of Lords and travels to London most weeks to vote. He is also president of the Mersey Dee Alliance and is a powerful advocate for our young people and our communities. 

Lord Jones has made a huge contribution to economic growth locally. He was at the forefront of the development of the A55 through North Wales, along with the creation of Deeside Industrial Park and the Flintshire Bridge. 

But he is best known and most fondly remembered for his passion and commitment in representing the people of East Flintshire, Alyn and Deeside and north Wales throughout his political career. Perhaps best epitomised by his impassioned battle to protect steelmaking jobs and for the pivotal role he played in the development of the aerospace industry in Broughton.

Here at the University, we have a very special relationship with Lord Jones as he was appointed to be the first President of one of our predecessor institutions – NEWI – in 2007. As President, he was instrumental in the institution being granted university status and he became the first Chancellor of Wrexham Glyndwr University.

He remains a loyal supporter, and powerful advocate, of the University and I am delighted to welcome him here today to accept our highest honour. 

In recognition of his support to the University and lifelong commitment to public service, I present Lord Barry Jones, for the award of Honorary Fellowship.