in loving memory of David Leslie Taylor

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Order of Service

"We would like to thank everyone for the amazing turnout at our dad's funeral, it is heartening to know that so many people wanted to come and pay their respects. Thank you for all being there to celebrate his life, the service was everything we could have hoped for. We think that he would have approved! We especially appreciate the huge numbers of people who braved the cold and snow by standing outside the church, before, during and after the service. We were not able to thank everyone in person later on at the Football Club, due to the sheer volume of people in attendance. We know that he had many friends and that his loss will be felt by so many. We are not sure how to carry on from here, but the vast amount of letters, cards and messages which we have received have been a comfort and have confirmed to us just how special he was."

David's daughters Rachel, Sarah, Jessica and Catherine on behalf of their mum Pam

Eulogy by The Bishop of Leicester

Honourable, conscientious, committed, hard-working, principled. The epithets repeat themselves in every conversation about David. Yet eulogies for well-known personalities are not always straightforward. There can be a danger of appearing to give an over-embellished account of a much loved life, which leaves out the faults and therefore the light and shade of a really human personality.

But today, it seems, there is no such risk. For all of us here, and many others who cannot be here today have known David as an exceptional person who really did not make enemies, but rather won the respect, affection and loyalty of people from many different walks of life who knew him and regarded him as a friend.

Some of us here last saw David at a party in my house just two days before Christmas. There were gathered many leaders of our local communities in Leicester and Leicestershire, Members of Parliament from both Houses, representatives of voluntary organisations, the churches and other faiths. David was at home in this company and people felt at home with him. His long personal history in Leicestershire meant that his networks were extensive and he shared stories with so many different people at many different levels. To all of us, and to many others, as well as of course to his close family, his death just three days later came as a very great sadness and a shock.

Not so long ago when I was visiting this Benefice one Sunday morning David was, as usual, in his place in the church. Following a brief conversation after the service, David excused himself. “I must slip away” he said, “I’m taking the family out to lunch – it’s my Ruby Wedding Anniversary!” That chance, almost throwaway remark, revealed so much about David. On that Sunday morning he was expressing his commitment both to his family and to his church. He was unostentatious, unflamboyant and unselfconscious in quietly engaging in those relationships and those commitments which gave his life meaning, purpose and their truest character. And that absence of ostentation, that quiet disinclination to draw attention to himself reflects the measure of the man. His was a truly rooted life, rooted in this locality, this church and this community. Rooted in clear values and principles, to which he unswervingly adhered during his life and public service. And rooted also in an aversion to some of the more self-seeking temptations of public life – David we might say was an antidote to spin and a remedy for the celebrity culture. Not for nothing did the Guardian obituary quote his marvellous self-description as a “traditional mushy peas rather than an avocado Labourite”.

And as so many of the obituaries have pointed out here was a public servant whose concerns and causes put him constantly on the side of the most vulnerable, and whose commitments were not just to policies but to people. His constituents have known for the last twelve years that they had an MP who would spare no effort to serve their needs and whose capacity for hard work was exceptional. It was because of his commitment to this part of the County of Leicestershire, that he understood the need for the regeneration of the former mining communities and committed so passionately to the development of the National Forest amongst other causes. In Parliament he was a conscientious attender, a committed asker of questions, an MP who occupied an outstanding place in the league table of “best value for money MPs” and, perhaps most significant of all recognised by the whole House as backbencher of the year in 2007.

Many of you here will know better than me the contributions he made in Parliament, especially to those causes about which he felt most deeply – primary health care for cancer patients, protection of the environment, the sensitive conduct of foreign affairs taking account of their effect on social cohesion at home.

Around the constituency, and indeed much of the County, David was a familiar figure in our churches. Routinely he would attend the institution of any new parish priest on his patch, but also civic services especially the annual service for the Chair of the County Council. He took a keen interest in ecclesiastical affairs, as a member of the Ecclesiastical Committee of Parliament and participated enthusiastically in a recent meeting in the House of Lords to discuss the implications of the ordination of women as Bishops. Gatherings for Parliamentarians at Lambeth Palace also gave him an opportunity to get to know the Church’s leadership and I know that the Archbishop of Canterbury has written to the family in appreciation of his life and public service.

David’s death, walking with his family on Boxing Day, will have come as a grief too deep for me to express to Pam and the children. In the Church’s calendar Boxing Day is the Feast of St Stephen – the day in which the familiar carol Good King Wenceslas commemorates. The Good King is out walking in the snow with his faithful servant. His task is to seek out the poor, the cold and the hungry and to take them food and fuel. The words of the carol end “He who now would bless the poor, shall himself find blessing”. David blessed us, with his commitment and his attachment to the causes which served the needs of others. And today we commend him to the care of Almighty God confident that he himself will find the blessing that his life conferred on others. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.

Homily by the Rev. Canon David Jennings

This is a difficult time and a difficult occasion. We are here to celebrate the life of David Taylor and mourn his tragic and sudden loss; a devoted husband, a loving father and grandfather, a devout Churchman and former Churchwarden, and a much respected Member of Parliament. Forgive me if I say that this is also personally difficult: David and I were old friends, for 2 years we were fellow councillors on North West Leicestershire District Council and trustees of an educational charity for Kosovan children. We met regularly and were together on the Tuesday before his death at the Bishop’s Christmas Party discussing the outcome of the General Election.

The reading (from David’s personal Bible) records and recounts Jesus’ words to his disciples about his own impending death and its significance. Like David, Jesus was a relatively young man and these were difficult words for his disciples to comprehend. He prefaced his remarks by reminding them of the need not to be worried, and to maintain their belief in God and in him. He then used an analogy to convey his teaching, he painted a picture that he was going before them to his Father’s house, in which there were many rooms and a place prepared for them, concluding with the somewhat enigmatic phrase ‘so that you will be where I am’. Right at the heart of Christian teaching about the meaning of life and death is that such is all to do with our abiding and continuing relationships. Relationships abide, relationships continue, relationships transcend even our physical death. We may no longer be able to see, to hear or to touch, but such does not sever a truly loving, caring and fond relationship. In his little piece of prose, ‘Death is nothing at All’, the late Canon Scott Holland wrote ‘why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?’

It is within this context of an abiding relationship that we meet here today primarily to give thanks to God for David’s life, and all that such has meant and achieved, and to make loving remembrance. There is much to give thanks for and much to remember. Remembrance is important; the word itself is a composite word and means to re-create, to put together, to make real. This is what we are doing in this service as we commend David to God’s loving care, and it is what we will continue to do beyond this time in the days, weeks, months and years ahead. David was a larger than life character who did and achieved so much. Time today prohibits much detail of this giving and serving life, but there are some significant and important aspects of David’s life that we should focus on and remember.

Most importantly was David’s relationship with his family. Pam, the girls, Rachel, Sarah, Jessica, Catherine, not forgetting the grandchildren Naomi and Henry, together with respective partners. We should also remember David and Pam’s son, also David, who sadly died in 1977. David always tried to do his best for his family, who often took precedence over other work and commitments. Sometimes he could be a little excessive in trying to do his best, especially when making a purchase for the family. To buy a variety of apple juices in order to guarantee the correct one is typical. Sometimes the purchases were last minute exercises, such as Pam’s Christmas present. David helped his daughters with their education, often in a corrective way; he always had the answer, but it was always intelligent advice. He was not always the most practical and ordered of men as any insight into his briefcase would indicate, and he was always carrying a bunch of papers. David enjoyed reading James Herriott books and would giggle while reading them before going to sleep. One of his Christmas presents was Herriot’s biography which he had nearly finished reading. In spite of all his parliamentary and constituency work and duties, David was always in touch with his family and was always available for them. Clearly, this relationship is the most important; their loss is the greatest.

David was much respected within this local community and Church in Heather. He was a Churchwarden when first elected in 1997, and my advice to him at that time was to continue to be such, demonstrating the important link between political life and that of faith. David was raised in this village, attended school here and in Ashby before working as an accountant and computer applications manager at the County Council. Many people have deep, profound and long standing memories of this local lad. None more so perhaps than David Wragg, knowing David from the age of 3 years and remaining close friends ever since. David Wragg recounts David’s competitiveness engaging in such idiosyncratic games as marbles, ludo and snakes and ladders. David always wanted to win and perhaps this has stood him in good stead. Collecting stamps also took on a competitive dimension, although at visits to the dentist David was not keen to be first at all! David was anxious to be in the school cricket team which David Wragg captained. There was a trade off: David Wragg would include David providing he could copy David’s homework. A truly political agreement! David Wragg and many others have spoken of David’s sense of humour. This enabled him to relate well to many people and perhaps is a vital political gift. Cricket was clearly a great love. David was President of the Heather Sparkenhoe Cricket Club, finding time to attend meetings and turn up for matches played in Heather. He used to play for the 2nd eleven: batting not a strong point, running erratic, with an occasional bowl of brilliance. His driving was not dissimilar as many have testified, even including racing a plane taking off. The relationship with this local community has been and will continue to be of significance. David never forgot his grass roots and was always to be seen in Heather.

David’s relationship with government, parliament and the Labour Party were another important and significant part of his life. Even after election, he remained an ordinary man of the people and was respected as such. There was no side to David: what you saw was what you got! In her obituary in the Guardian, Julia Langdon wrote that David was that rare thing among politicians: someone who was liked and admired equally by his constituents, his parliamentary colleagues and his political opponents. In recognition of such, he was chosen as the House of Commons’ Backbencher of the Year in 2007. There was, however, disillusionment with certain developments which David shared with me on a number of occasions. David was an instinctive not partisan left-winger and was from time to time rebellious, and in that respect stands alongside a number of notable parliamentarians across the political spectrum. He once described himself as ‘a traditional mushy-peas rather than an avocado Labourite’. David had a vision for the transformation of society and the creation of a more just and equal society. This vision lead him in a profound socialist direction, which has credibility; others may share that vision and find a different form of expression. David understood this, as tributes may indicate. Julia Langdon wrote of David’s wide range of interest, some of which have been alluded to already. He spoke often and fluently and could never resist the art of alliteration. Once he enquired in the House concerning Manchester City: ‘Is it forever the fate of football fans to be fleeced by flaky foreign financiers?’. Such skill! This relationship with government, the Party and the political process will not be forgotten.

I come back to relationships, thanksgiving and remembrance. Jesus said to those who loved him: ‘so that you will be where I am’. He envisioned their relationship continuing, even beyond his own impending death. I want to suggest that our relationship with David also continues: most importantly that with his family, but also his community and church (he was due to read the lesson from Isaiah tomorrow in this Church with the lines ‘Do not be afraid – I will save you. I have called you by your name –you are mine……Do not be afraid – I am with you’), and with his constituents, parliamentary colleagues and Party. This we remember, and give thanks for a life of integrity, service, giving and love. We do not or will not forget. It was the American actress Whoopi Goldberg in the introduction to the film Ghost starring Demi Moore and the late Patrick Swayze, who said ‘You are never dead until you are forgotten’. This we know to be true for David today, as we hope and pray it will be true for each and every one of us one day also, as we reflect upon and consider Jesus’ words ‘so that you will be where I am’.