David Lightbown

Sir David Lincoln Lightbown was a British politician who was the Conservative Member of Parliament for South [East Staffordshire |South East Staffordshire] from 1983 until his death.

Background

Lightbown was born Derby in 1932, and attended the Derby School and Derby Technical College. He was an engineering executive who had an adversarial relationship with the Transport and General Workers' Union.

Lightbown was elected to the Lichfield District Council in 1975, and served as its leader from 1977 to 1986. In 1977, he was also elected to the Staffordshire County Council, where he served until 1985. He entered Parliament in 1983. He served as a government whip, and his imposing physique and reputation for robust methods led to him being branded "the Terminator".
Lightbown held right-wing views, endorsing capital punishment and advertising on the BBC, as well as supporting England's 1984 England [rugby union tour of South Africa|1984 rugby union tour] of South Africa under apartheid. He opposed the ordination of divorced men in the Church of England.

Lightbown married Ann Palmer in 1960. On 12 December 1995, he was watching The Varsity Match at Twickenham Stadium, when he collapsed and died at the age of 63. The South East Staffordshire by-election|resulting by-election for his seat] was won by the Labour Party candidate Brian Jenkins.
His widow, Lady Lightbown, contested his successor seat of Tamworth at the 1997 [United Kingdom general election|1997 general election] but was defeated by Brian Jenkins.