David Lightbown

Sir David Lincoln Lightbown (30 November 1932 – 12 December 1995) was a British politician who was the Conservative Member of Parliament for South East Staffordshire from 1983 until his death.

Sir David Lightbown
MP
Comptroller of the Household
In office
28 November 1990 – 12 December 1995
Prime MinisterJohn Major
Preceded byTony Durant
Succeeded byTimothy Wood
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
In office
25 July 1990 – 28 November 1990
Prime MinisterMargaret Thatcher
Preceded byTony Durant
Succeeded byJohn Taylor
Lord Commissioner of the Treasury
In office
26 July 1987 – 25 July 1990
Prime MinisterMargaret Thatcher
Preceded bySecond Thatcher ministry
Succeeded byIrvine Patnick
Member of Parliament
for South East Staffordshire
In office
9 June 1983 – 12 December 1995
Preceded byConstituency created
Succeeded byBrian Jenkins
Personal details
Born(1932-11-30)30 November 1932
Derby, England
Died12 December 1995(1995-12-12) (aged 63)
London, England
Spouse
Ann Palmer
​
(m. 1960)​
Alma materDerby Technical College

Background

Lightbown was born Derby in 1932, and attended the Derby School and Derby Technical College.[1] He was an engineering executive who had an adversarial relationship with the Transport and General Workers' Union.[1]

Political career

Lightbown was elected to the Lichfield District Council in 1975, and served as its leader from 1977 to 1986.[1] In 1977, he was also elected to the Staffordshire County Council, where he served until 1985.[1] He entered Parliament in 1983.[1] He served as a government whip, and his imposing physique and reputation for robust methods led to him being branded "the Terminator".[2]

Lightbown held right-wing views, endorsing capital punishment and advertising on the BBC, as well as supporting England's 1984 rugby union tour of South Africa under apartheid.[1][3] He opposed the ordination of divorced men in the Church of England.[1]

Personal life and death

Lightbown married Ann Palmer in 1960.[1][4] On 12 December 1995, he was watching The Varsity Match at Twickenham Stadium, when he collapsed and died at the age of 63.[5] The resulting by-election for his seat was won by the Labour Party candidate Brian Jenkins.

His widow, Lady Ann Lightbown, contested his successor seat of Tamworth at the 1997 general election but was defeated by Brian Jenkins.[6]

References
  1. "Sir David Lightbown". The Daily Telegraph. 13 December 1995. p. 27.
  2. "Dark rumours in Westminster over Tory whips' behaviour". The Guardian. 15 December 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  3. Kirkhope, Timothy (14 December 1995). "OBITUARY: Sir David Lightbown". The Independent. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  4. "Index entry". FreeBMD. ONS. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  5. Jones, George; Johnston, Philip (13 December 1995). "Major faces a majority of three". The Daily Telegraph. p. 1.
  6. "BBC NEWS | VOTE 2001 | RESULTS & CONSTITUENCIES | Tamworth". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
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