Ian Gow facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ian Gow TD
Gow in November 1985
Minister of State for the Treasury
In office 2 September 1985 – 19 November 1985
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	Barney Hayhoe
Succeeded by	Peter Brooke
Minister for Housing
In office 13 June 1983 – 2 September 1985
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	John Stanley
Succeeded by	John Patten
Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Prime Minister
In office 4 May 1979 – 13 June 1983
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	Roger Stott
Succeeded by	Michael Alison
Member of Parliament for Eastbourne
In office 28 February 1974 – 30 July 1990
Preceded by	Charles Stuart Taylor
Succeeded by	David Bellotti
Personal details
Born	Ian Reginald Edward Gow (1937-02-11)11 February 1937 Marylebone, London, England
Died	30 July 1990(1990-07-30) (aged 53) Hankham, East Sussex, England
Political party	Conservative
Spouse	Jane Packe ​ (m. 1966)​
Children	2
Occupation	Solicitor
Military service
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Branch/service	British Army
Years of service	1955–1976
Rank	Major
Unit	15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars

Ian Reginald Edward Gow (11 February 1937 – 30 July 1990) was a British politician and solicitor. He was a member of the Conservative Party. From 1974 until his death in 1990, he served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Eastbourne. He was killed by a bomb placed under his car by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA).

Early Life and Career

Ian Gow was born in London on 11 February 1937. His father was a doctor. Ian went to Winchester College, a famous school. There, he was the leader of the debating club.

After school, he joined the army for a period of national service from 1955 to 1958. He became an officer in the 15th/19th Hussars. He served in places like Northern Ireland and Germany. He later joined the Territorial Army until 1976, reaching the rank of Major.

After his army service, Ian Gow became a solicitor, which is a type of lawyer. He qualified in 1962 and became a partner in a London law firm.

Entering Politics

Ian Gow also became active in the Conservative Party. He tried to become an MP in the 1964 and 1966 general elections but did not win.

In 1972, he was chosen to represent the Eastbourne area. The previous MP, Charles Taylor, had been there since 1935.

Parliamentary Career

Ian Gow became the MP for Eastbourne in February 1974. Eastbourne was a strong Conservative area, so he always won his elections easily. He bought a 16th-century house called The Doghouse in Hankham, which was in his constituency.

Working with Margaret Thatcher

In 1975, Ian Gow supported Margaret Thatcher when she became the leader of the Conservative Party. In 1978, he started working as a spokesman for the party on Northern Ireland issues. He believed in stronger ties between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

In May 1979, Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister. She appointed Ian Gow as her parliamentary private secretary. This meant he worked very closely with her. He became a trusted friend and advisor to the Prime Minister until 1983.

Later, he became a junior minister, first as Minister for Housing and Construction, and then at the Treasury. Even though he was a minister, he missed his close role with the Prime Minister.

Political Views and Resignation

Ian Gow was generally seen as a right-wing member of his party. However, he had some liberal views too. For example, he voted against bringing back the death penalty. As Housing Minister, he was willing to spend public money on housing projects.

In November 1985, Ian Gow resigned from his government job at the Treasury. He disagreed with the Anglo-Irish Agreement, a deal signed by the British and Irish governments about Northern Ireland. Even though he disagreed with the policy, he spoke highly of Margaret Thatcher in his resignation speech. He called her "the finest chief" and "the kindest friend."

After leaving the government, he became the chairman of a Conservative committee on Northern Ireland. He continued to oppose any deals with Irish republicans.

First Televised Speech

On 21 November 1989, Ian Gow made history. He delivered the first speech ever shown on television in the House of Commons. Before this, TV cameras were not allowed to film the debates. In his speech, he made some jokes about his appearance. MPs later agreed to keep televising the proceedings.

Ian Gow remained close to Margaret Thatcher. He helped her campaign in a leadership election in 1989. He was known for being friends with people from different political parties, including Labour MPs.

Personal Life

Ian Gow married Jane Elizabeth Packe in Yorkshire on 10 September 1966. They had two sons together.

Assassination

Ian Gow knew he might be a target for the IRA. However, he did not take many security precautions. He even listed his home address and phone number in public directories.

On 30 July 1990, a bomb was placed under his car. It exploded at 8:39 AM as he was backing out of his driveway at his home in Hankham, East Sussex. Ian Gow was badly injured and died about 10 minutes later.

After his death, many politicians spoke about him. Neil Kinnock, the leader of the Labour Party, said it was a "terrible atrocity." Margaret Thatcher called his murder an "irreplaceable loss" in her autobiography.

The IRA said they killed Ian Gow because he was close to Margaret Thatcher and because of his role in British policy on Northern Ireland. No one was ever charged with his murder.

Aftermath

People had different opinions about Ian Gow's political career. Everyone agreed he was charming and good at public speaking. Some felt his resignation in 1985 meant he didn't have a long ministerial career.

Ian Gow's widow, Jane, was honored in 1990. She later remarried in 1994. She continues to promote the memory of her first husband.

After Ian Gow's death, a special election was held for his seat in Parliament. The Liberal Democrat candidate, David Bellotti, won.