The former Conservative MP and arch Eurosceptic Sir Teddy Taylor has died, his family said. He was 80.
Sir Teddy, who had been ill for some months, died in Southend Hospital late on Wednesday, his wife, Sheila Taylor said.
First entering Parliament as MP for Glasgow Cathcart in 1964, his political career was marked by a fierce loathing of the European Union.
Former Conservative MP Sir Teddy Taylor spent his parliamentary career being a vocal critic of the European Union. He has died, aged 80, after being ill for some months, his family said
He quit as a Scottish Office minister in 1971 over Edward Heath’s decision to join what was then the Common Market.
Two decades later he was among a band of diehard Tory rebels – the so-called ‘whipless wonders’- who had the whip withdrawn and were kicked out of the party by John Major over their opposition to the Maastricht Treaty.
In 1979 he was elected MP for Southend East in a by-election, having finally lost marginal Glasgow Cathcart, and held the seat until he retired from Parliament in 2005.
His wife said that while he never changed his views on Europe, he had remained devoted to his constituency and its people.
Sir Teddy Taylor pictured with his wife Sheila after winning the Southend on Sea by-election. He spent his parliamentary career speaking out against the EU and had the Tory whip withdrawn from him by Sir John Major over his opposition to the Maastrictht Treaty
‘He loved being an MP here. The great love of his life was helping his constituents. He really cared about Southend and was very well-liked by everybody here,’ she said.
Sir Teddy was a junior Scottish Office Minister for part of Edward Heath’s 1970-74 administration but resigned over Heath’s decision to take Britain into Europe.
His uncompromising and unyielding views on Europe meant that, although one of the brightest and busiest and most vigorous of Tory backbenchers, he was effectively ruled out of any further ministerial post.
But for this attitude, Margaret Thatcher would almost certainly have appointed him Scottish Secretary when she swept to power in 1979.
He finally stepped down as an MP in 2005.
He is survived by his wife, two sons and one daughter.