Conservative former MP Teddy Taylor dies, aged 80
2 min read
Former Conservative MP Sir Teddy Taylor has died aged 80.
The colourful ex-minister had been ill for some months, his wife confirmed.
He first became the MP for Glasgow Cathcart in 1964 and went on to become a Scottish Office minister, but resigned when Britain joined the European Economic Community.
The leading Thatcherite lost his seat at the 1979 election, but returned to parliament the following year as MP for Southend East, which he held until his retiral in 2005.
A lifelong Eurosceptic, John Major withdrew the whip from him in the 1990s for his opposition to the Maastricht Treaty.
Sir Teddy's wife Sheila said: “The great love of his life was helping his constituents. He really cared about Southend and was very well-liked by everybody here."
Ruth Davidson, David Mundell and former Scottish minister Jack McConnell were among the politicians to pay their respects to Sir Teddy on Twitter.
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