Tory former Cabinet minister Lord Norman Tebbit will be remembered as a “giant” and an “inspiring leader”, the friend who gave the eulogy at his funeral said.
The service, at St Edmundsbury Cathedral in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk where Lord Tebbit had lived, was attended by a cast of politicians including former Conservative MP and novelist Jeffrey Archer and his wife Mary.
Former Tory MP Neil Hamilton and his wife Christine, former leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg and former deputy prime minister Therese Coffey were also present.
Conservative grandee Lord Tebbit, who was one of Margaret Thatcher’s closest political allies, died on July 7 aged 94.
Tory peer and author Lord Michael Dobbs, who gave the eulogy at Thursday’s service, described Lord Tebbit as “a giant, an inspiring leader”.
Former leader of the Conservative Party Iain Duncan Smith, who gave a reading from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, said afterwards that the service was “glorious”.
“It was a glorious service and rather befitting for Norman, Norman Tebbit, who quite often was understated but never missed an argument,” said Sir Iain.
He said the reading he was asked to read, from act one, scene three of Hamlet, “could not have been more certainly Norman in every respect”.
“He was clear, he was himself from the word go, he didn’t change his values throughout the whole of his time,” he said.
“He was a tough competitor but the beauty of it that came out was he had a real soft heart and was kind and had many friends on all sides of the house.
“He was my mentor throughout the early part of my political career.”
Lord Archer said afterwards that the service was “beautiful” and that Lord Tebbit “was above all loyal, loyalty was his passion”.
Lord Tebbit was injured in an IRA bombing during the Conservative Party conference in Brighton in 1984, which left his wife, Margaret, paralysed from the neck down.
He served as employment secretary, taking on the trade unions, and as chairman of the Conservative Party from 1985 to 1987 he helped Mrs Thatcher secure her third general election victory.
He also served as trade secretary and had a reputation as a political bruiser.
After the 1987 election success he left his post as Tory chairman to help care for Margaret, who died in 2020.
He left the Commons in 1992 and became a member of the House of Lords.
His son William said his father died “peacefully at home”.
Lord Tebbit’s coffin arrived at the cathedral in a black hearse driven at walking pace, with family members following behind on foot.
Church bells rang as air cadets formed a guard of honour at the cathedral door and the coffin, covered with flowers, was carried inside.
Lord Tebbit’s children William, Alison and John each took turns to share reflections of their father, who Alison described as “uncompromising” and “loyal”, also possessing humour and a “sense of fun”.
The service, also attended by Sir Graham Brady, Tory MP Mark Francois, Lord Deben and Labour MP for Bury St Edmunds Peter Prinsley, ended with the RAF March as the recessional music as people filed out.
Conspiracy theorist says daughter died by medical gross negligence manslaughter
Ministers ‘believe’ Palestine recognition is compliant with international law
Green Party leadership candidates accuse Polanski of using ‘polarising’ language
Car finance mis-selling deadline revealed as millions could have compensation claim
Murder victim’s body lay undiscovered for a month despite call to police
