Boris Johnson leads tributes to ‘inspirational’ Lady Margaret Tebbit

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has led the tributes to Lady Margaret Tebbit who has died 36 years after being badly injured in the Brighton bomb.
By Mark Rainey
Published 22nd Dec 2020, 16:17 BST
Updated 22nd Dec 2020, 17:39 BST
Lord Tebbit and his wife Margaret outside the Grand Hotel in Brighton, on the 25th anniversary of the 1984 bombing by the IRA.Lord Tebbit and his wife Margaret outside the Grand Hotel in Brighton, on the 25th anniversary of the 1984 bombing by the IRA.
Lord Tebbit and his wife Margaret outside the Grand Hotel in Brighton, on the 25th anniversary of the 1984 bombing by the IRA.

The wife of former cabinet minister Norman Tebbit, Lady Tebbit had been suffering from Lewy Body Dementia for a number of years.

She is reported to have passed away at the couple’s home in Suffolk on Saturday morning.

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In a Twitter message yesterday, Boris Johnson said: “Very sad to hear the news of Margaret Tebbit’s death. She was a brave woman who showed enormous fortitude in her suffering after the 1984 Brighton bombing. My thoughts are with Norman and their family at this difficult time.”

The former nurse was left paralysed by the IRA bomb attack on Margaret Thatcher and her cabinet ministers at the Tory party conference hotel.

Lord Tebbit was also injured in the bomb that missed its main target but killed five other people.

Belfast man Patrick Magee was convicted of several offences connected to the bombing but was released early from prison in 1999 under the terms of the Belfast Agreement.

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Appearing on Desert Island Discs in 1995, Lady Tebbit spoke about the IRA bomb.

Norman Tebbit and wife Margaret at the Conservative party conference just before the Brighton bomb in 1984Norman Tebbit and wife Margaret at the Conservative party conference just before the Brighton bomb in 1984
Norman Tebbit and wife Margaret at the Conservative party conference just before the Brighton bomb in 1984

“I don’t blame people, I don’t completely forget or forgive, but one has to completely look forward,” she said.

However, her husband was much less forgiving, saying there was “no possibility of forgiveness” for those involved.

Lady Tebbit remained as active as possible despite her life-changing injuries and served as lifetime vice-president of the Aspire charity for 20 years.

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The charity was set up to assist those with spinal injuries.

Aspire chief executive Brian Carlin said he was “very sad to hear about Margaret’s death,” and added: “She will be deeply missed by myself and everyone at Aspire. We are honoured that Margaret, Norman and their family have remained such loyal supporters of the charity throughout the years.

“Margaret has been an incredible ambassador and role model for people with spinal cord injuries and an invaluable friend to Aspire for over 20 years.”

Victims’ group the South East Fermanagh Foundation (SEFF) has close links with Lord Tebbit and said he was greatly admired for the care he provided over many years.

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“If anyone had ever doubted the depth of the love and devotion that Norman Tebbit gave to his wife Margaret, they had only to see him pushing her wheelchair any time in the past 36 years,” a SEFF spokesperson said.

“Norman holds my respect for the manner in which he cared for his wife, he became her sole primary carer and was devoted to looking after her needs. He demonstrated unconditional love – something many of us fail to achieve.

“It is for this reason, and the care she received, that Margaret was able to defy the odds and live to the good age of 86 years.”

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