The senior Conservative MP Dame Cheryl Gillan has died. She’d been MP for Chesham and Amersham in Buckinghamshire since 1992 and was Welsh Secretary in the Cameron government.
The Prime Minister has paid tribute, saying she was “a great servant to the people of Chesham and Amersham, to the Conservative Party and to the country as Secretary of State for Wales."
He added that she was “always full of wise advice and good humour, she was much loved on all sides of the House of Commons and will be sorely missed. My sincere condolences to her family and friends.”
There will now be a by-election for her Chesham and Amersham constituency, a safe Conservative seat. It will be the third by-election of the Parliament, all to come in quick succession (the other two being Hartlepool and Airdrie and Shotts).
Dame Cheryl is the first MP to die in office since Paul Flynn a couple of years ago. A sad day for the Commons.
Speaker @LindsayHoyle_MP: “Dame Cheryl Gillian was one of the most popular, friendly and kindly people in the House of Commons, so her passing leaves a big hole in all our lives. She was someone who drew people to her because of her warm, sunny disposition and sense of humour.”
Mr Speaker continued: “An assiduous attendee of debates, Dame Cheryl never passed up an opportunity to speak against the proposed high speed rail link HS2. She will be sorely missed.’
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