Tory Ex-Minister Lord Cecil Parkinson Dies

Former Conservative cabinet minister Lord Cecil Parkinson has died after a long battle with cancer, his family have said.

The Tory peer, who served in several roles in Margaret Thatcher's government in the 1980s, was 84.

Prime Minister David Cameron led the tributes, saying: "He was the first big political figure that I ever worked for and got to know.

He was a man of huge ability. "He was passionate that what he was doing and the team of ministers that he worked with was about transforming Britain in the 1980s by improving industrial relations, by reforming the trade unions, by making sure that business was in the private sector, by encouraging entrepreneurship.

"He was someone I really enjoyed working with a great deal. He was part of a great political generation that did really extraordinary things for our country. He will be hugely missed on all sides of the political divide."

The Conservative grandee, whose full title was Lord Parkinson of Carnforth, was chairman of the Tory Party twice.

But he is possibly best remembered for the scandal that marred his spectacular Cabinet-rank political career - his affair with Sara Keays, his one-time secretary. Mrs Thatcher was reluctantly compelled to return him to the back benches in 1983, only months after he had masterminded the Conservatives' victory in that year.

Ms Keays, who bore Mr Parkinson's daughter Flora, repeatedly claimed that he had gone back on a promise to leave his own wife and marry her.

After four years in the political wilderness, he was restored to the front bench by the Prime Minister in 1987 who made him Energy Secretary.

He then went on to be Transport Secretary and, when the Conservatives lost power to Tony Blair's Labour administration, was appointed Conservative party chairman for a second time. Sky's Jon Craig said: "There's no doubt that especially in the 1980s, he was always at Lady Thatcher's side. "He was one of the most colourful, charismatic characters.

"They had that big election victory in 83, and he got his reward, and then suddenly, it seemed, his career was brought down by scandal.

"But he did come back. I think in parliament he will be missed on the Tory benches. "He was one of the most flamboyant politicians of the Thatcher generation."

Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne said on Twitter: "Sad to hear of death of Cecil Parkinson. "I worked with him when he was party chairman in 1997-8 - he was there in our hour of greatest need." Lord Parkinson formally retired from the House of Lords last September, as he battled his illness.

Announcing his passing, a family spokesman said: "Cecil passed away on 22 January after a long battle with cancer. We shall miss him enormously.

"As a family, we should like to pay tribute to him as a beloved husband to Ann and brother to Norma, and a supportive and loving father to Mary, Emma and Joanna and grandfather to their children.

"We also salute his extraordinary commitment to British public life as a member of parliament, cabinet minister and peer - together with a distinguished career in business."