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| Lord Paddy Ashdown: Memorial for 'man of duty' | Lord Paddy Ashdown: Memorial for 'man of duty' |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Lord Ashdown's widow said her husband was so committed to public service, he had "duty written underneath his skin". | Lord Ashdown's widow said her husband was so committed to public service, he had "duty written underneath his skin". |
| Lady Jane Ashdown spoke to the BBC as a public memorial service was held for the former leader of the Liberal Democrats. | |
| Paddy Ashdown died in December 2018 aged 77, two months after being diagnosed with bladder cancer. | Paddy Ashdown died in December 2018 aged 77, two months after being diagnosed with bladder cancer. |
| His wife of 56 years said "he didn't want accolades" for his life. | |
| Born Jeremy John Durham Ashdown, he was given the nickname Paddy when he moved to England, after spending his childhood in Northern Ireland. | Born Jeremy John Durham Ashdown, he was given the nickname Paddy when he moved to England, after spending his childhood in Northern Ireland. |
| Jane Ashdown said they first met when she accompanied her cousin to the Royal Marines' Christmas ball. | Jane Ashdown said they first met when she accompanied her cousin to the Royal Marines' Christmas ball. |
| "He'd taken his cousin along too, but he knocked on the door of the wrong cousin" when he came to pick her up from the local hotel, she said. | "He'd taken his cousin along too, but he knocked on the door of the wrong cousin" when he came to pick her up from the local hotel, she said. |
| In 1976, Ashdown was selected as the Liberal candidate in his wife's home constituency of Yeovil, but it took until the 1983 election for him to win the seat. | In 1976, Ashdown was selected as the Liberal candidate in his wife's home constituency of Yeovil, but it took until the 1983 election for him to win the seat. |
| He went on to become the first elected and longest serving leader of the Liberal Democrats, between 1988 and 1999. | He went on to become the first elected and longest serving leader of the Liberal Democrats, between 1988 and 1999. |
| Lady Ashdown confirmed the rumour that he was once offered the position of Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. | Lady Ashdown confirmed the rumour that he was once offered the position of Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. |
| She said: "Gordon Brown offered him the role... which would have been a poisoned chalice for a Northern Irishman, and he said 'no'." | She said: "Gordon Brown offered him the role... which would have been a poisoned chalice for a Northern Irishman, and he said 'no'." |
| During his time as the United Nation's high representative in Bosnia-Herzegovina, he forced through major political, economic and security reforms. | During his time as the United Nation's high representative in Bosnia-Herzegovina, he forced through major political, economic and security reforms. |
| To his long-term partner, however, it was "duty" that was under his skin: "He was one of those people who, if you peeled back the first couple of layers of skin, there was 'duty' written underneath" she said. | To his long-term partner, however, it was "duty" that was under his skin: "He was one of those people who, if you peeled back the first couple of layers of skin, there was 'duty' written underneath" she said. |
| A public memorial service is taking place at St Johns Church in Yeovil. |