Chris Tame, founder of the Libertarian Alliance, has died

Sean Gabb, Director of the Libertarian Alliance, has distributed this email message this morning:

"It is with the deepest regret that I must announce the death of Dr Chris R. Tame, Founder and President of the Libertarian Alliance.

Chris founded the Libertarian Alliance in the early 1970s. During the next 30 years, he worked tirelessly to recover the British libertarian tradition as a seamless heritage of freedom. He took issue with those Conservatives who saw freedom in terms purely of pounds and pence - and often not even as that. He took issue also with those who demanded freedom in all matters but those involving the getting and spending of money. He believed that freedom should be defined in the traditional English sense, as the rights to life, liberty and justly acquired property.

In July 2005, Chris was diagnosed with a rare and very aggressive form of bone cancer. Though only 55 at the time, and though he had avoided all those vices commonly believed to be dangerous, he took this diagnosis with great calmness. During the next eight months, he faced his approaching end with a fortitude and good humour that was an inspiration to those around him.

To the very end, he retained a keen interest in public affairs and in the welfare of his friends and loved ones. On his last day, he made sure to check his e-mails.

Chris died peacefully in his sleep at 3:37pm GMT on Monday the 20th March 2006. He was never alone during his last six days. Mrs Helen Evans and Dr Sean Gabb were by his side at the end.

Chris was married and divorced twice. He left no children.

Dr Gabb will make a further announcement in the next few days of the funeral arrangments. In the meantime, all further correspondence should be directed to him.

Chris leaves the Libertarian Alliance in the hands of Dr Timothy Evans and Dr Sean Gabb, who as President and Director, hope to carry on its work through the first decades of the 21st century."

Comments

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

Chris was a truly remarkable and wonderful person. I am proud to have known him and to have benefited from his intellect. Chris will be sadly missed. The Party would do well to co-operate with the LA and remember Chris’s legacy.

[Guido Fawkes]

Chris was a friend. We will all be worse off without him. He was a relentless foe of statist evil and an intellectually uncompromising advocate of liberty.

[Robert Halfon]

I was so very sorry to hear about Chris. He was a very early influence on me when I first got involved in student 'Tory' politics and although I was never full on libertarian (having stong Conservative communitarian beliefs),I retain staunch views on defending civil liberties, ID cards, 90 days detntion without trial and such matters etc. I won't forget the LA conferences that were organised at the time, some of which were in the New Cavendish Club near Marble Arch.

[Richard]

In February of this year I attended the CNE Capitalist Ball in Brussels where The 2006 CNE Adam Smith Award for Lifetime Achievement was given to Dr. Chris R. Tame.

[Donal Blaney]

This is tragic news. Chris was a key member of the Movement in the 1980s and 1990s and it should be in his memory - along with the memories of other stalwarts such as Keith Joseph, Anthony Fisher and Nick Ridley - that we should look to build a true conservative movement in his name.

[Sean Fear]

It is indeed very sad news.

[Tory T]

Chris Tame was one of the great unsung heroes of the British right. His libertarian beliefs were uncompromising but his personal warmth and kindness won him admirers of every political hue.

Among many achievements I want to cite just one: his creation and management of the Alternative Bookshop. It's hard to believe that in the heart of Covent Garden, in an area now dominated by expensive boutiques, there was an excellent bookshop with a comprehensive range of Conservative and libertarian literature.

Chris gave far more than he ever took. He'll be sadly missed.

[Selsdon Man]

I can only echo the comments above. Chris introduced me to many great libertarian thinkers. Today, I look back on our discussions at the Alternative Bookshop and many events with great fondness and gratitude.

Chris's legacy is huge and he will be missed by all who knew him. I will drink a toast to his memory tonight.

[Richard]

"The Party would do well to co-operate with the LA and remember Chris’s legacy"

Agreed. Although the Tories are not a Libertarian Party they have (traditionally) much in common with the LA, especially on economic issues.

[American observer]

Chris had a keen intellect and enormous energy in pursuit of causes he knew to be right.

It is a tragedy that someone who was so instrumental in the rebirth of libertarian and conservative ideas in Britain should be taken from us at such a young age.