Former Tory Chancellor Lord Geoffrey Howe dies aged 88

Former British finance minister Geoffrey Howe, a key figure in the government of Margaret Thatcher but instrumental in her downfall, has died aged 88, his family said on Saturday.

Mr. Howe was Mrs. Thatcher’s longest-serving cabinet minister but was viewed as helping end her time in office with a critical speech in 1990.

He contested the Conservative Party leadership in 1975 although Mrs Thatcher ultimately secured the party’s support.

His wife Baroness Howe of Idlicote, also a member of the House of Lords, spoke passionately in favour of equalising survivor benefits for same-sex couples in 2013.

Ken Clarke said: “He had very strong views about how best to serve the national interest – that’s what he saw himself as doing, and having thought through his views with a very good, clear intellect he then stuck to them and succeeded in delivering them”.

Lady Thatcher was herself forced to resign shortly after the verbal assault – contradicting Denis Healey’s memorable 1978 jibe that coming under fire from Howe was like being “savaged by a dead sheep”.

Cameron, who today follows numerous same economic policies brought in by Thatcher, said Howe played a vital role by reducing borrowing, cutting tax rates, and taming inflation. He described that Howe’s decision to lift exchange controls as a crucial move that helped save Britain’s economy.

In her second term he was made Foreign Secretary, grappling with how to handle dramatic developments in South Africa – and the increasingly thorny issue of Britain’s relationship with Europe.

He was first elected as MP for Bebington between 1964 and 1966 before becoming the MP for Reigate in 1970 and later served the East Surrey constituency from 1974. Cameron added: “The Conservative family has lost one of its greats”.

“Geoffrey Howe was a conciliator, a One Nation Conservative – forever concerned about social advance”.

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron described Lord Howe as a “kind, decent and honourable man”, while Labour frontbencher Chris Bryant praised his “gentle spirit, enquiring mind and internationalist outlook”.