I HAVE only the most affectionate of thoughts for the great legal advocate Lord Lester (pictured) who has died. I sought his advice several years ago on a couple of occasions while dealing with overbearing officialdom threatening libel proceedings; his advice; all pro-bono, he would not have had it otherwise.

Around that time we often talked over the phone and he was only too keen to write a piece on the protection of the press, and did so, again, pro-bono.

It was not simply his persuasive line of reasoning that shone through our calls but the sheer sincerity in his voice. A great protector of human rights.