Lord Michael Spicer, former chairman of Conservative 1922 Committee, dies aged 76

Lord Michael Spicer, former chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee of Conservatives, pictured in 1990
PA Archive/PA Images
Ella Wills29 May 2019

Lord Michael Spicer, former chairman of the backbench Conservative 1922 Committee, and ERG founder, has died aged 76.

A family spokesman said Lord Spicer, died in hospital after a long illness. He had Parkinson's and leukaemia.

His widow, Patricia Ann Hunter, paid tribute to the "amazing husband and wonderful father", saying he had remained involved in politics until his death.

Lord Spicer was in the Commons for 26 years and served as chairman of the 1922 committee of backbench Tory MPs for nine years before standing down as an MP at the 2010 general election.

He had been a Worcestershire MP since February 1974 and served in various ministerial positions from 1984 to 1990.

In 1993, he founded the European Research Group, a Eurosceptic group of Conservative MPs.

A statement released on behalf of the family said: "Ann, the wife of Lord Michael Spicer and her family wish to announce that Michael died peacefully this morning in hospital after a long illness.

"They are sure that many will be sad to hear this news. They would be grateful for a few moments privacy whilst they take into account what has happened."

Lady Spicer said: "He has been the most amazing husband and a wonderful father and he has done a lot politically, as well as a lot of painting and art work as well."

She said her husband, who took over from Archie Hamilton as chairman of the 1922 Committee, the body made up of all Conservative backbench MPs, in 2001, had remained politically active throughout his illness.

She said his last letter to the Telegraph had been published only days before his death.

Lady Spicer said: "He wrote his last letter to the Telegraph, and it was published on Friday, May 17."

In one of his last major contributions in the House of Lords in June 2018, Lord Spicer set out his support for leaving the European Union, saying he believed the "nation state is the best unit for democracy".

Lord Spicer said: "My Lords, this may be the last time I address this House on a point of substance - unless my health changes.

"My physiotherapist says that I will be playing tennis again by Christmas, which would be nice because I used to captain the parliamentary tennis team.

"But at the moment I do not think I could crawl here from the Bishops' Bar in a straight line without what that nice lady has given me across the counter."

He went on to say: "Briefly, I want to make it clear why for the past 30 years I have been a pain in the neck to those who want to stay in Europe. I formed the Fresh Start group and the ERG some 30 years ago. I did so for a one-word reason."

He added: "The word I want to use is "patriotism". I do not mean the fascist form of wrapping yourself up in a flag; I mean a bit of sentiment - John Major's warm beer and the shadows of the trees across the cricket pitches, the music of Elgar, the Trooping of the Colour - but that is not the essence.

"The essence of why I oppose staying in the European Union is that it seems to me that the nation state is the best unit for democracy."

Reporting by Press Association.

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