Lord John Horam death: Former minister dies after falling on walk home from work, family says

Former minister Lord John Horam has died at the age of 87, his family says.The peer died at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, London, after falling on the way home from a day working at the House of Lords on 2 July.Despite receiving care from paramedics and hospital staff, he did not regain consciousness, his family said.

Lord Horam was born in Preston, Lancashire. His first job was with the confectionery brand Rowntree’s, where he worked on developing the After Eight mint.He then had a stint in journalism before entering politics.

open image in galleryJohn Horam, pictured in 1976 when he was Labour's Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Getty)Lord Horam represented three parties in Parliament. He was the Labour and later Social Democratic Party (SDP) MP for Gateshead between 1970 and 1983, before defecting to the Conservatives in 1987, serving as Tory MP for Orpington from 1992 to 2010.He was a minister in both Labour and Conservative governments.

Lord Horam was created a working life peer as Baron Horam of Grimsargh in 2013.“John’s widow Judith (née Jackson) and stepsons Fraser and Lincoln Jopp would like to thank the paramedics, police and all the staff at St Mary’s for the immaculate care John received,” a family statement said.This is a breaking story – more to follow.

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