Clegg hits the nail on the head:

“Christopher Hitchens was everything a great essayist should be: infuriating, brilliant, highly provocative and yet intensely serious. I worked as an intern for him years ago. My job was to fact check his articles. Since he had a photographic memory and an encyclopaedic mind it was the easiest job I’ve ever done. He will be massively missed by everyone who values strong opinions and great writing”