Westminster celebrates Lloyd George's birthday

David Lloyd George, Britain's only Welsh prime minister, was born 150 years ago today.

He is also the last Liberal prime minister, and Welsh Liberal Democrats at Westminster were determined not to pass up the opportunity to celebrate. At the last count, five separate events are being held at venues ranging from the Lloyd George statue in Parliament Square to the National Liberal Club.

At the statue, the Reverend Rose Hudson-Wilkin, chaplain to the Commons speaker, led a short service. The Gwalia Male Voice Choir led the "congregation" in Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau as relatives and admirers laid daffodils at the statue.

Among them, Lloyd George's grandson, Viscount Tenby, and Lady Bonham-Carter, great-granddaughter of LG's great Liberal rival Herbert Henry Asquith. "Reconciliation at last," said Lord Roberts of Llandudno, who organised some of today's celebrations.

Viscount Tenby, a teenager when Lloyd George died in 1945, remembered his grandfather as "fun" with a real interest in people matched by few politicians.

Lloyd George's biographer, (Lord) Kenneth O. Morgan praised his role in introducing social benefits.

But what would the Welsh Wizard/Goat - who led a coalition government - have made of today's Liberals in government with the Conservatives at Westminster?

Lord Morgan suggested he wouldn't have had a problem with coalition but he wouldn't have approved of some of the government's welfare policies.