The vast range of political interests espoused by the former Conservative MP Philip Goodhart, who has died aged 89, could partly be ascribed to his early career as a journalist and foreign correspondent and also to his antecedents in a distinguished American family. Added to that was a highly developed sense of public service, an unquenchable curiosity and a now somewhat dated belief that the main duty of an elected politician is to represent the interests of his constituency. It was a combination that meant that he was popular both in the House of Commons and his suburban Kent seat of Beckenham, which he represented for 35 years, but he was inevitably destined by his independent spirit to serve only briefly on his party’s frontbench.
Reflecting his lifelong interest in military matters, in 1964 he was appointed as a shadow defence spokesman by Sir Alec Douglas-Home, but after backing Reg inald Maudling as the next Tory leader the following year was then sacked by the successful Edward Heath. When Margaret Thatcher became prime minister in 1979 she appointed Goodhart as a junior minister in Northern Ireland, and then moved him to defence in 1981. However, his criticism of policy within the department brought about his dismissal within months, albeit with a compensatory knighthood. “I hope that a proper determination to stick to financial targets will not inhibit the development of sensible policies,” he told Thatcher pointedly in his letter of resignation.
Continue reading...