“ The death of Lord Russell-Johnston confronts us, for the second time in two weeks, with the loss of a beacon of integrity, rectitude and tolerance”, says ELDR President Annemie Neyts.” We will only gradually realise how much we have lost with the untimely demise of both Bronislaw Geremek and Lord Russell-Johnston “. When I shyly participated in my first international liberal meetings, Russell was a prominent participant and I always have looked up to him as one of my seniors. I vividly remember a conversation we had way back then during which he predicted the fall of Margaret Thatcher as leader of her party.