Badenoch leads tributes to Norman Tebbit, ‘icon’ of Thatcherism, praising his ‘stoicism and courage’
Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, has issued this tribute to Norman Tebbit.
Our Conservative family mourns the loss of Lord Tebbit today and I send my sincerest condolences to his loved ones.
Norman Tebbit was an icon in British politics and his death will cause sadness across the political spectrum.
He was one of the leading exponents of the philosophy we now know as Thatcherism and his unstinting service in the pursuit of improving our country should be held up as an inspiration to all Conservatives.
As a minister in Mrs Thatcher’s administration he was one of the main agents of the transformation of our country, notably in taming the trade unions.
But to many of us it was the stoicism and courage he showed in the face of terrorism which inspired us as he rebuilt his political career after suffering terrible injuries in the Brighton bomb, and cared selflessly for his wife Margaret, who was gravely disabled in the bombing – a reminder that he was first and foremost a family man who always held true to his principles.
He never buckled under pressure and he never compromised.
Our nation has lost one of its very best today and I speak for all the Conservative family and beyond in recognising Lord Tebbit’s enormous intellect and profound sense of duty to his country.
May he rest in peace.
Key events
There are three ministerial statements in the Commons today after 12.30pm: Pat McFadden, Cabinet Office minister, on the government’s resilience action plan; Heidi Alexander, transport secretary, on road and rail projects’ and Gareth Thomas, business minister, on the Post Office Horizon IT inquiry report.
Rishi Sunak, the former Tory PM, has put out this statement about the death of Norman Tebbit.
Saddened to hear of the passing of Lord Tebbit.
He was a titan of Conservative politics whose resilience, conviction and service left a lasting mark on our party and our country. My thoughts are with his family and all those who knew him.
Sunak was only seven when Tebbit gave up being cabinet minister, but his childhood views of Tebbit are likely to have been influenced by Tebbit’s notorious “cricket test” theory of immigration – that migrants could not be properly integrated if, for example, they continued to support India over England at test cricket.
When he became a Conservative politician, Sunak (who was born in the UK to parents of Indian heritage) avoided saying anything particularly critical about Tebbit’s “test”. But in an interview with the BBC’s Nick Robinson this year he expressed concern about the way some rightwingers have now gone well beyond Tebbit – claiming that non-White Britons cannot count as properly English even if they are playing for the team. As Eastern Eye reports, Sunak said:
It is not enough just to support England at cricket. It turns out it may not be enough to even play for England in cricket or football. You still can’t be English. You look at the composition of our England cricket team, England football team. On this definition you can’t be English even playing for England, let alone supporting them … I found the whole thing slightly ridiculous.
Risks from climate, pensions and bonds leave UK public finances ‘vulnerable’, OBR says
The UK’s public finances are in a “relatively vulnerable position”, with pensions costs, climate change and volatile bond markets all posing significant risks, the independent Office for Budget Responsibility has warned. Heather Stewart has the story here.
Here is the OBR report, Fiscal risks and sustainability.
Graeme Wearden has more coverage on his business live blog.
Will Hayward, the Welsh affairs commentator, has a good take on the new Senedd polling (see 10.48am) in a post on his Substack blog. Here is an extract.
The Tories could be totally wiped out. Due to the electoral system, once a party starts to get towards single figures in terms of vote share, they can end up with no seats. The Welsh Conservatives, who let’s not forget are currently the official opposition in Wales, could end up with no seats in a 96 seat Senedd. Will their leader Darren Millar change course from the Reform tribute act he is currently touring with? I doubt it.
Reform will still not be able to form a government. Given the fact the Tories could be annihilated, there are few places to go for Reform when it comes to coalitions or deals. Speaking to Sky’s Beth Rigby, First Minister Eluned Morgan said she “wouldn’t touch Reform with a barge pole”. Plaid has also ruled out a coalition.
UK government backs French police immobilising small boats, minister says
French police slashing the boats of people smugglers is not “pleasant” but the right tactic, Heidi Alexander, the transport secretary, has said. Jessica Elgot and Peter Walker have the story.
Tebbit was ‘hero of modern Conservatism’, says Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson, the former Tory PM, has issued this tribute to Norman Tebbit.
Norman Tebbit was a hero of modern Conservatism. In the early 1980s he liberated the British workforce from the socialist tyranny of the closed shop. He tamed the union bosses, and in so doing he helped pave the way for this country’s revival in the 1980s and 1990s.
At a time when the Labour government is now disastrously reversing those crucial reforms we need to remember what he did and why. In his single most famous phrase he once said that in the 1930s his unemployed father had got on his bike and looked for work. That wasn’t a heartless thing to say – as the Labour Party claimed. It was because he believed in thrift and energy and self-reliance. It was because he rejected a culture of easy entitlement.
We mourn the passing of a great patriot, a great Conservative – and today more than ever we need to restore the values of Norman Tebbit to our politics.
Eluned Morgan says Welsh Labour taking Reform UK ‘very seriously’ after 2nd poll says it could win Senedd elections
Eluned Morgan, Welsh first minister, has said said Labour is taking the threat from Reform UK “very seriously” following the publication of a new polling suggesting Nigel Farage’s party will come top in next year’s Senedd elections.
The More in Common poll has Reform on 28%, with Plaid Cymru on 26%, Labour on 23% – and the Conservatives far behind on 10%.
This is the second poll in Wales that has put Reform in first place in voting intention for the Senedd. Last month a Find Out Now poll also had Reform in first place, with 29% support, two points ahead of Plaid.
In an interview with Sky News, Morgan accepted there was “a possibility” that Reform could become the largest party in the Senedd, saying it was “really concerning”, but added it would be “difficult for them to rule by themselves”.
But she ruled out entering a coalition with the party, saying: “I wouldn’t touch Reform with a bargepole.”
She also said Labour had to win voters back by being “authentic” and “clear with people about what we stand for”, rather than trying to “out-Reform Reform”. She said:
I think we’ve got to lead with our values. We’re about bringing communities together, not dividing them, and I do think that what Reform is interested in is dividing people and people do need to make choices on things like that.
So, what I won’t be doing in Wales is chasing Reform down a path where we can try and out-Reform Reform. I’m not interested in that, because those aren’t my values.
Here are some more tribute to Norman Tebbit from politicians and political figures.
From Priti Patel, the former Tory home secretary
Lord Tebbit was a giant of the Conservative Party and British politics. He was a man devoted to promoting freedom and liberty and gave a lifetime of service to our country in the RAF and in Parliament. His formidable record in Government promoting trade, industry and job creation helped lift our country’s economic fortunes and is a legacy to be proud of. Norman spent his life promoting our values and through adversary and challenge, he always displayed great courage.
It was a privilege to know Norman and receive his support and advice.
He will be greatly missed and my thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones. May he rest in peace and be reunited with his dear wife.
From DUP MP Jim Shannon
Lord Tebbit, a giant of his generation, staunch ally of Northern Ireland who, with his beloved wife, survived an IRA terrorist attack & yet was undaunted in his facing down those faceless cowards. History will record his service to this nation & my thoughts are with his family.
From Andrew RT Davies, the former Tory leader in Wales
Norman Tebbit was a political titan. A true British patriot, his passion and belief in Britain as the nation state was central to everything he did in politics. Unlike most in public life, he was never afraid to speak the truth.
His huge contribution to public life was unrivalled by most, a remarkable achievement given the tragedy he and his family experienced at the hands of IRA terrorists.
It was to our country’s detriment that Norman Tebbit was forced to retire early from frontline politics, in order to care for his wife Margaret, something he did diligently for decades.
I have no doubts that both Britain and the Conservative Party would be in a much better place today had his influence remained at the top of government in the 1990s.
My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.
May he rest in peace.
From Damian Green, the former first secretary of state, and former chair of the One Nation Conservatives Caucus (at the opposite wing of the Tory party from Tebbit)
The easiest thing to miss about Norman Tebbit was that he was very, very funny. He was always great company in private. RIP
From Nadim Zahawi, the former Tory chancellor
Rest in eternal peace great man. Norman Tebbit was a giant of Conservative politics & Conservative ideals. A man who looked after his beloved wife beautifully after the horrific terror attack by the IRA. A man who nurtured and befriended young conservatives like me. He was great company on a weekend in the country. RIP
From Robert Colvile, the Sunday Times columnist and head of the Centre for Policy Studies thinktank
When I was at the Telegraph, he became one of our star bloggers. What I remember most is the way he tried to answer every comment, and wrote as though their views were just as important as his, even though he was Norman Tebbit and they were eg ‘HugeSimpsonsFan’ or ‘ZaNuLieBore’.
This is what William Hague, the former Tory leader, told Times Radio about Norman Tebbit this morning.
[Tebbit] was definitely on the tough end of everything in the Conservative party. But, of course, the centrepiece of that in those days was bringing trade unions back within the law. And that was a huge issue in the late 70s and early 80s, because previous governments had failed to do that, had really wrestled with that problem and fallen over it. And that Conservative government said, no, you are subject to the law. And of course, we went into a period of better economic growth of less, fewer days lost through strike action. So that toughness was part of the revival of the country’s fortunes in the 80s.
Post Office Horizon IT inquiry to publish first volume of its final report
Later today the Post Office Horizon IT inquiry is publishing the first volume of its final report. It covers the experience of victims, and how the compensation scheme is working. The inquiry will address who was most to blame in a further report.
This is what PA Media has filed on what to expect today.
The first tranche of the long-awaited final report from an inquiry into the Post Office Horizon scandal is set to be published.
More than 900 subpostmasters were wrongfully prosecuted between 1999 and 2015 in what has been dubbed as the worst miscarriage of justice in British legal history.
Many were wrongly convicted of crimes such as theft and false accounting after faulty Horizon software made it look as though money was missing from their accounts.
Subpostmasters’ lives were destroyed – with some bankrupted by legal action and sent to prison.
Today the first volume of the Horizon IT inquiry’s final report will be published – covering the devastating impact on the lives of the scandal’s victims and the compensation process.
The issue of financial redress has frequently been flagged as an issue by subpostmasters – with many still awaiting full compensation.
The various compensation schemes have been criticised by victims as unfair and difficult to navigate – processes which lead campaigner Sir Alan Bates has previously described as “quasi-kangaroo courts”.
Retired judge Sir Wyn Williams, the chairman of the probe, will make a public statement following the report’s publication.
In an interim report published in July 2023, Sir Wyn described legislative changes made to resolve issues with the redress schemes as “a patchwork quilt of compensation schemes… with some holes in it”.
The inquiry was established in 2020, with a number of witnesses giving evidence on the use of Fujitsu’s Horizon system, Post Office governance and the legal action taken against subpostmasters.
In a previous statement addressing the compensation schemes, the Department for Business and Trade said: “This government has quadrupled the total amount paid to affected postmasters to provide them with full and fair redress, with more than £1bn having now been paid to over 7,300 claimants.”
Tebbit in his own words
One of the characteristics that made Norman Tebbit stand out as a minister was his skill as a communicator; he was pithy, direct, original, unpretentious, often quite nasty. But always interesting. He was not the sort of politician interested in regurgitating the bland ‘line to take’. If Twitter had been around in the 1980s, it would have suited him brilliantly.
PA Media has rounded up some of his best known quotes.
It is certainly safe, in view of the movement to the right of intellectuals and political thinkers, to pronounce the brain death of socialism.
Parliament must not be told a direct untruth, but it’s quite possible to allow them to mislead themselves.
He didn’t riot. He got on his bike and looked for work”
This was Tebbit talking about his father, when he fell out of work. Tebbit never actually uttered the much attributed phrase “on yer bike”.
The BBC is another part of the destruction of Great Britain. The truth is that the BBC doesn’t know that it is biased. It thinks that Guardian reading champagne socialists are the norm.
I’ve never bashed a union in my life.
John Major has the mulishness of a weak man with stupidity.
It’s good to remember the unburied dead and the uncollected rubbish. Most of it can now be seen on the Labour benches in the House of Commons.
The poll tax was a classic case of a good idea being entrusted to Chris Patten and becoming a terrible failure.
Badenoch leads tributes to Norman Tebbit, ‘icon’ of Thatcherism, praising his ‘stoicism and courage’
Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, has issued this tribute to Norman Tebbit.
Our Conservative family mourns the loss of Lord Tebbit today and I send my sincerest condolences to his loved ones.
Norman Tebbit was an icon in British politics and his death will cause sadness across the political spectrum.
He was one of the leading exponents of the philosophy we now know as Thatcherism and his unstinting service in the pursuit of improving our country should be held up as an inspiration to all Conservatives.
As a minister in Mrs Thatcher’s administration he was one of the main agents of the transformation of our country, notably in taming the trade unions.
But to many of us it was the stoicism and courage he showed in the face of terrorism which inspired us as he rebuilt his political career after suffering terrible injuries in the Brighton bomb, and cared selflessly for his wife Margaret, who was gravely disabled in the bombing – a reminder that he was first and foremost a family man who always held true to his principles.
He never buckled under pressure and he never compromised.
Our nation has lost one of its very best today and I speak for all the Conservative family and beyond in recognising Lord Tebbit’s enormous intellect and profound sense of duty to his country.
May he rest in peace.
Here is Jamie Grierson’s story about the death of Norman Tebbit.
Good morning. Emmanuel Macron, the French president, is starting his state visit to the UK today, three of the most senior cabinet ministers are giving evidence to select committees, and the Post Office Horizon IT inquiry is publishing the first volume of its final report. And it has just been announced that Norman Tebbit, one of the most controversial, and consequential, figures from Margaret Thatcher’s cabinet, has died. It will be a busy day.
This is what PA Media is reporting about Lord Tebbit’s death.
Tory former cabinet minister Lord Norman Tebbit has died aged 94, his son said.
The Conservative grandee was one of Margaret Thatcher’s closest political allies and played a key role in Tory politics for a generation.
As employment secretary he took on the trade unions, and as chairman of the Conservative Party from 1985 to 1987 he helped Mrs Thatcher secure her third general election victory.
He suffered grave injuries in the 1984 Brighton bombing, which left his wife, Margaret, paralysed from the neck down.
Tebbit’s son, William, issued this statement.
At 11.15pm on 7th July 2025 Lord Tebbit died peacefully at home aged 94.
His family ask that their privacy is respected at this time and a further statement regarding funeral arrangements will be made in due course.
Nigel Huddleston, the co-chair of the Conservative party, has issued this tribute.
Very sad to hear about the passing of Norman Tebbit. A true ‘Tory grandee’ who achieved great political heights from a modest background under the aspirational and meritocratic environment of the Thatcher era – and who suffered greatly for his prominence in the IRA Brighton bombing. He will be missed.
Here is the agenda for the day.
9.30am: Keir Starmer chairs cabinet.
9.30am: The Office for Budget Responsibility publishes a report on fiscal risks.
9.30am: The Department for Education publishes provisional national headline results for this year’s key stage 2 Sats exams in primary schools in England.
9.30am: The Office for National Statistics publishes healthy life expectancy figures for England and Wales.
10.30am: Luke Pollard, the armed forces minister, gives evidence to the Commons defence committee on the UK contribution to European security.
Noon: The Post Office Horizon IT inquiry publishes volume one of its final report, covering the impact on victims and compensation.
12.30am: Sir Wyn Williams, the chair of the Post Office inquiry, gives a statement on his report.
1pm: Angela Rayner, the deputy PM and housing secretary, gives evidence to the housing committee on the spending review.
1.30pm: David Lammy, the foreign secretary, gives evidence to the foreign affairs committee.
2pm: Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, gives evidence to the Lords justice and home affairs committee.
4.15pm: President Macron gives a speech to MPs and peers in the Royal Gallery in the House of Lords.
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