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| Author Ludovic Kennedy dies at 89 | Author Ludovic Kennedy dies at 89 |
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| The author, broadcaster and campaigner Sir Ludovic Kennedy has died aged 89. | The author, broadcaster and campaigner Sir Ludovic Kennedy has died aged 89. |
| A former BBC Panorama journalist, Sir Ludovic spent decades investigating miscarriages of justice, including the case of the Birmingham Six. | A former BBC Panorama journalist, Sir Ludovic spent decades investigating miscarriages of justice, including the case of the Birmingham Six. |
| He contributed to the abolition of the death penalty and was also president of the Voluntary Euthanasia Society. | He contributed to the abolition of the death penalty and was also president of the Voluntary Euthanasia Society. |
| He is understood to have died on Sunday at a nursing home in Salisbury, Wiltshire, after contracting pneumonia. He leaves four children. | He is understood to have died on Sunday at a nursing home in Salisbury, Wiltshire, after contracting pneumonia. He leaves four children. |
| Edinburgh-born Sir Ludovic was a prominent supporter of the British Humanist Association (BHA) and chief executive Hanne Stinson paid tribute to him. | Edinburgh-born Sir Ludovic was a prominent supporter of the British Humanist Association (BHA) and chief executive Hanne Stinson paid tribute to him. |
| "Sir Ludovic was a stalwart supporter of the BHA and a progressive campaigner on many fronts. He will be sorely missed," she said. | "Sir Ludovic was a stalwart supporter of the BHA and a progressive campaigner on many fronts. He will be sorely missed," she said. |
| Executions | Executions |
| As a young man, Sir Ludovic joined the Royal Navy and his ship HMS Tartar was involved in the sinking of the German battleship Bismarck. | As a young man, Sir Ludovic joined the Royal Navy and his ship HMS Tartar was involved in the sinking of the German battleship Bismarck. |
| After the war, he attended Oxford University and went on to become a successful journalist. | After the war, he attended Oxford University and went on to become a successful journalist. |
| During his career, he carried out his own investigations into a number of high-profile criminal cases. | During his career, he carried out his own investigations into a number of high-profile criminal cases. |
| Ludovic Kennedy was one of the great thinkers of his generation Nick CleggLib Dem leader Obituary: Sir Ludovic Kennedy | Ludovic Kennedy was one of the great thinkers of his generation Nick CleggLib Dem leader Obituary: Sir Ludovic Kennedy |
| Among them was that of Derek Bentley who was hanged for shooting dead a policeman even though someone else pulled the trigger. | Among them was that of Derek Bentley who was hanged for shooting dead a policeman even though someone else pulled the trigger. |
| His most famous book, 10 Rillington Place, caused a national outcry when it argued that another executed man, Timothy Evans, did not murder his baby daughter. | His most famous book, 10 Rillington Place, caused a national outcry when it argued that another executed man, Timothy Evans, did not murder his baby daughter. |
| Sir Ludovic maintained that the serial killer John Christie was responsible, and after a police inquiry, Evans was granted a posthumous pardon in 1970. | Sir Ludovic maintained that the serial killer John Christie was responsible, and after a police inquiry, Evans was granted a posthumous pardon in 1970. |
| Defence lawyer Joe Beltrami, who worked on another wrongful conviction case that was tackled by Sir Ludovic, said the journalist was intelligent, hard working and "very modest". | Defence lawyer Joe Beltrami, who worked on another wrongful conviction case that was tackled by Sir Ludovic, said the journalist was intelligent, hard working and "very modest". |
| "He had great determination to win and he won more often than he lost. I admired the man." | "He had great determination to win and he won more often than he lost. I admired the man." |
| He also said he believed Sir Ludovic was the last of the great campaigning journalists, adding: "I can't think of anyone else up to his standard. He was meticulous." | He also said he believed Sir Ludovic was the last of the great campaigning journalists, adding: "I can't think of anyone else up to his standard. He was meticulous." |
| 'Pursuit of justice' | 'Pursuit of justice' |
| For much of his life, Sir Ludovic was a member of the Liberal Democrat Party and stood unsuccessfully as a Liberal candidate in 1958. | For much of his life, Sir Ludovic was a member of the Liberal Democrat Party and stood unsuccessfully as a Liberal candidate in 1958. |
| He quit the party in 2001 when the then leader Charles Kennedy refused to endorse assisted dying, and stood for Parliament again unsuccessfully as an independent candidate on a pro-euthanasia platform. | He quit the party in 2001 when the then leader Charles Kennedy refused to endorse assisted dying, and stood for Parliament again unsuccessfully as an independent candidate on a pro-euthanasia platform. |
| He later rejoined the Lib Dems and current leader Nick Clegg paid tribute to him on Monday. | He later rejoined the Lib Dems and current leader Nick Clegg paid tribute to him on Monday. |
| "Ludovic Kennedy was one of the great thinkers of his generation," he said. | "Ludovic Kennedy was one of the great thinkers of his generation," he said. |
| He was a passionate advocate of assisted dying for terminally ill people Sarah WoottonDignity in Dying | He was a passionate advocate of assisted dying for terminally ill people Sarah WoottonDignity in Dying |
| "His pursuit of justice and his championing of sometimes unpopular and controversial causes marked him out as a true liberal. He will be greatly missed." | "His pursuit of justice and his championing of sometimes unpopular and controversial causes marked him out as a true liberal. He will be greatly missed." |
| Richard Ingrams, co-founder of satirical magazine Private Eye, said that while Sir Ludovic had connections with the Liberal party - and "a very impeccable establishment background" - he was really "a bit of an anarchist". | Richard Ingrams, co-founder of satirical magazine Private Eye, said that while Sir Ludovic had connections with the Liberal party - and "a very impeccable establishment background" - he was really "a bit of an anarchist". |
| "For somebody like that be engaged in the exposure of miscarriages of justice - it gave him an advantage," he told the BBC. "He couldn't be dismissed as a kind of left-wing lunatic or anything like that." | "For somebody like that be engaged in the exposure of miscarriages of justice - it gave him an advantage," he told the BBC. "He couldn't be dismissed as a kind of left-wing lunatic or anything like that." |
| Mr Ingrams said 10 Rillington Place "exposed the fact that the British judicial system could get things hopelessly wrong and would then try to cover them up". | Mr Ingrams said 10 Rillington Place "exposed the fact that the British judicial system could get things hopelessly wrong and would then try to cover them up". |
| Terminally ill | Terminally ill |
| Sarah Wootton, chief executive of Dignity in Dying - formerly the Voluntary Euthanasia Society - said the organisation was saddened to hear of Sir Ludovic's death. | Sarah Wootton, chief executive of Dignity in Dying - formerly the Voluntary Euthanasia Society - said the organisation was saddened to hear of Sir Ludovic's death. |
| "He was a passionate advocate of assisted dying for terminally ill people, whose compassion and vigorous intellect were an asset to the organisation," she said. | "He was a passionate advocate of assisted dying for terminally ill people, whose compassion and vigorous intellect were an asset to the organisation," she said. |
| "As a former president, he helped to lay the foundation for the recent successes of the campaign, with the director of public prosecutions now formally recognising a difference between compassionate and malicious behaviour, and the change in the law which will inevitably come." | "As a former president, he helped to lay the foundation for the recent successes of the campaign, with the director of public prosecutions now formally recognising a difference between compassionate and malicious behaviour, and the change in the law which will inevitably come." |
| Sir Ludovic married ballet dancer and actress Moira Shearer in 1950 and the marriage endured until her death in January 2006 at the age of 80. The couple had one son and three daughters. | Sir Ludovic married ballet dancer and actress Moira Shearer in 1950 and the marriage endured until her death in January 2006 at the age of 80. The couple had one son and three daughters. |
| We asked for your memories of Sir Ludovic Kennedy. Please find a selection of your comments below. | |
| I met Ludo on several occasions with my husband, Michael Mansfield QC. Ludo was a committed, passionate fighter for justice. He was also a caring, warm and deeply humane person. We shall miss him sorely. Yvette Vanson, London | I met Ludo on several occasions with my husband, Michael Mansfield QC. Ludo was a committed, passionate fighter for justice. He was also a caring, warm and deeply humane person. We shall miss him sorely. Yvette Vanson, London |
| He was one of the most inspirational broadcasters and writers of his day. He had high intellect, but a sense of justice which allowed him to argue for the common man, in a language which all could understand. A tremendous loss for all those of us who have been inspired by his words and his charm over the last 50 years. Russell Homer, Jersey CI | He was one of the most inspirational broadcasters and writers of his day. He had high intellect, but a sense of justice which allowed him to argue for the common man, in a language which all could understand. A tremendous loss for all those of us who have been inspired by his words and his charm over the last 50 years. Russell Homer, Jersey CI |
| Another great broadcaster and debater of the BBC gone. A great loss.Colin Wise, Chandlers Ford, Hampshire | Another great broadcaster and debater of the BBC gone. A great loss.Colin Wise, Chandlers Ford, Hampshire |
| Sir Ludovic or 'Ludo' was my grandmother's cousin on the side of Sir Ludovic Grant, 11th Baronet of Dalvey, and I am proud to be related to this compassionate man who did so much for so many...may his legacy live on!Abby McMillan, Torquay, UK | Sir Ludovic or 'Ludo' was my grandmother's cousin on the side of Sir Ludovic Grant, 11th Baronet of Dalvey, and I am proud to be related to this compassionate man who did so much for so many...may his legacy live on!Abby McMillan, Torquay, UK |
| Ludovic Kennedy was one of the great moral thinkers of our time. His view of the world reflected most closely the rationalist and humanist foundation upon which those of us born just after the war - the baby-boomers - developed our philosophy of positive liberty outside of a religious straightjacket. We owe him a great deal - he made sense of the world when it appeared to be senseless.Jonathan Kamm, Stockbridge, Hampshire | Ludovic Kennedy was one of the great moral thinkers of our time. His view of the world reflected most closely the rationalist and humanist foundation upon which those of us born just after the war - the baby-boomers - developed our philosophy of positive liberty outside of a religious straightjacket. We owe him a great deal - he made sense of the world when it appeared to be senseless.Jonathan Kamm, Stockbridge, Hampshire |