Hugh Rossi facts for kids

Sir Hugh Alexis Louis Rossi (born 21 June 1927, died 14 April 2020) was a British politician. He was a member of the Conservative Party. Sir Hugh studied at Finchley Catholic Grammar School and later at King's College London.

His father, Gaudenzio Rossi, moved to London in 1919. He had served in the Italian Army during the First World War.

Early Political Life

Hugh Rossi began his political career in local government. He was elected as a councillor on the Hornsey Borough Council. He served there from 1956 to 1965. During this time, he was also the deputy mayor from 1964 to 1965.

After Hornsey Borough Council, he became a councillor for the new London Borough of Haringey starting in 1964. He also served as a Middlesex County Councillor from 1961 to 1965.

Serving in Parliament

Sir Hugh Rossi became a Member of Parliament (MP) in 1966. An MP is a person elected to represent a group of people in the national parliament. He represented the area of Hornsey from 1966 to 1983.

After some changes to the voting areas, he then represented Hornsey and Wood Green. He held this seat from 1983 until he retired in 1992.

Government Roles

Sir Hugh Rossi served as a junior minister in the governments of Edward Heath and Margaret Thatcher. A junior minister helps a senior minister with their duties. He was part of the 'One Nation' group within the Conservative Party. This group believed in policies that helped all parts of society.

He worked on ideas for social housing, which helps people find affordable homes. One of his key ideas was the "Right to Buy". This policy allowed people living in council houses to buy their homes. This idea was very important for the Conservative Party's success in elections.

After the Conservatives won the 1979 general election, Sir Hugh hoped to become the Minister of State for Housing. However, he was instead made a Minister of State for Northern Ireland. The Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, thought he might be worried about this role because he was Catholic. She arranged a meeting for him with Basil Hume, the Archbishop of Westminster, to reassure him.

Retirement and Legacy

Sir Hugh Rossi retired from politics in 1992. After his retirement, the Conservative Party lost the Hornsey and Wood Green seat. The Labour Party candidate, Barbara Roche, won the election.

Sir Hugh was given the title of Knight in 1983. This means he could use "Sir" before his name. He passed away in April 2020 at the age of 92. He was buried in Highgate Cemetery in London.

Images for kids

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  Grave of Sir Hugh Rossi in Highgate Cemetery