Hundreds of mourners have lined the streets of a tiny Welsh town for the funeral of the former Welsh Labour minister Carl Sargeant, who was eulogised as “kindness in a big bundle”.
Jeremy Corbyn was among those who packed out St Mark’s church in Sargeant’s hometown of Connah’s Quay, Flintshire, for the service described as a celebration of the former Welsh assembly member’s colourful life.
The 49-year-old was found having taken his own life at his home on 7 November, four days after being sacked from his role as cabinet secretary for communities and children amid allegations of harassment.
Flowers and a Newcastle United football shirt were laid on top of Sargeant’s coffin, which was carried into church to the Michael Bublé song Home.
The politician’s relatives, including his wife, Bernadette, and children, Jack and Lucy, wore bright colours. Sargeant’s dog was also taken into the 180-year-old church, which was full to capacity by 9am – three hours before the service was scheduled to begin.
While his family and closest friends packed the 200-capacity church, hundreds more listened to the service outside in near-freezing temperatures. As the funeral came to a close, mourners clapped and sang along to the Pogues’ song Dirty Old Town, which was requested by his family to reflect the politician’s love of karaoke.
Corbyn was accompanied by his wife, Laura Alvarez, and a handful of aides as he arrived and left the service.
“I was honoured to attend the celebration of Carl’s life. It was a lovely service, with wonderful tributes and selection of music by his family,” the Labour leader said.
“It was very moving to see such an outpouring of support from the community Carl was brought up in and proud to represent.”
It was announced earlier this week that Carwyn Jones, the Welsh first minister who sacked Sargeant, would not attend out of respect for the bereaved family’s wishes.
In an emotional eulogy, Sargeant’s close friend, the political commentator Daran Hill, he said: “The one solitary good thing that has come out of the last horrible month is the deepening of friendships and the starting of new ones. People who have been drawn together to find love and strength from each other in the time of deepest grief, despair and anger.”
Referring to the absent Jones, he added: “Our collective love and respect for Carl has shown us at our best. There are others not in this room who have not been shown in that way. The questions they will have to answer – and it is a they – are for another time and another place.”
His voice breaking with emotion, Hill described Sargeant as “kindness in a big bundle” and said: “If only everyone had shown him the same kindness he always showed others.”
Hill then asked those gathered to turn and hug the person next to them as it was what Sargeant would have done. He said: “I want you to show kindness to friends and strangers in the same way he did. That’s how Carl Sargeant touched people. In their lives. In their hearts. In their souls.”
Mourners who attended the service were handed a white ribbon as a sign of the campaign to end domestic violence, an issue Sargeant championed in the Welsh assembly. On the order of service, Sargeant was pictured with his dog and the motto “Laugh, sing, dance and go on”.
Outside the church, Mark Tami, the Westminster MP who shared a political office with Sargeant in Connah’s Quay, said it was right that Jones had stayed away from the funeral.
He added: “The family wanted Jeremy here and Jeremy wanted to be here. This is about Carl’s life and his achievements and I think you don’t want distractions. It’s clearly difficult, but I think Carwyn made the right decision not to attend.
“It’s going to be a very difficult day for everyone here and everyone’s thoughts are with Carl’s family. The amount of people here shows what Carl meant to this area and what he did. It’s about celebration – that’s what the family want.”
The handling of Sargeant’s dismissal is to be the subject of an independent investigation and may be examined by a coroner’s inquest into his death.
The Welsh Labour politician faced three harassment allegations, which he strongly denied. Friends said he was not told the detail of the claims against him before he died.
