Gerry Steinberg - Tributes Flow - A Celebration of Gerry Steinberg MP

The event, a celebration of Gerry's time in Parliament since 1987 until the next election when he is standing down, was held at the Three Tuns Hotel in Durham on Friday 4 March, 2005. One hundred and fifty people filled the room, including seven MPs and a government Minister.

Guests found on each place a programme with an excellent montage of pictures of Gerry since childhood, and also a selection of some of his more outspoken moments in Parliament gleaned from this website. (see "Gerryisms")


Gerry chats with Eliot Morley MP and Eric Martlew MP	Guests, including David Clelland MP, get served with the excellent buffet meal


Meg has a quiet moment with grandson Jacob	Pat and Patrick Conway in earnest conversation

Roberta Blackman-Woods, Labour's Prospective Parliamentary Candidate

First after dinner speaker was former leader of Durham City Council Gary Birch who spoke of Gerry's time as Leader of the City Council, of his vision and determination to serve the people of his home town, and the legacy of those years, including the Sports Centres and the Milburngate Centre.

One of Gerry's parliamentary colleagues, Eric Martlew MP for Carlisle entertained with stories of Gerry's parliamentary career, of his forthright and sometimes disconcerting honesty, of his political shrewdness that brought results to Durham over the years, including aid for the carpet factory and the passport office among others.

Cllr David Bell, current Leader of the Labour Group on the city council also paid tribute to Gerry's work for the city of his birth and upbringing and offered thanks on behalf of the city to Gerry.


Eric Martlew MP	Cllr David Bell

Another Parliamentary colleague, David Clelland MP for Tyne Bridge, rounded off the speeches with a warm and witty tribute to Gerry's character and political achievements.


David Clelland MP	Meg is presented with a bouquet

Gerry, for whom the scale of the event had come as a surprise (as intended by the organisers) thanked everybody, paid tribute to Pat Conway who had been his agent in the last two elections (and who along with Donna Whitfield, Gerry's Office Manager, had organised the night), his colleagues and friends but most of all to his wife Meg without whom he would have had no career in politics.


Gerry is delighted with an autographed football - Sunderland of course!	Gerry reads a letter from Sunderland AFC's Mick McCarthy


A thorn between....? Gerry flanked by his two hard working staff, Donna Whitfield and Christine Carey	Gerry thanks everyone for coming, for the many kind words spoken and of course, Meg and his family.