Points of Order

John Whittingdale Excerpts

Tuesday 8th July 2025 Commons Chamber

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Judith Cummins)]

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his touching tribute, which is now on the record.

[Sir John Whittingdale (Maldon) (Con)]

Further to that point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I started working as special adviser to Norman Tebbit in the Department of Trade and Industry on the Monday morning after the Brighton bomb. For those first few weeks, I went to visit him with members of his private office in Stoke Mandeville hospital. The reason why he was in that specialist unit was that, while he was badly injured, he wanted to be nearby to his wife. My right hon. Friend the Member for Gainsborough (Sir Edward Leigh) was completely right: he gave tremendous service to this country, but he felt that his first duty had to be to look after his wife.

It was a terrific loss to my party and to the country when he felt that he was no longer able to serve in government because of the need to care for Margaret. Had that not happened, he might well have become Prime Minister. He was a remarkable person whom we will miss greatly. I am delighted that my right hon. Friend has helped to put his service on the record.

[Madam Deputy Speaker]

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his touching tribute.