John Horam (1939 – 2026)

Their Story

John Rhodes Horam was a remarkable British politician whose 40-year parliamentary career spanned three major political parties. Beginning as a Labour MP for Gateshead West in 1970, he embraced change by defecting to the newly founded Social Democratic Party in 1981 and then to the Conservatives in 1987, serving as a minister in both Labour and Conservative governments. His ministerial roles included Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport during the late 1970s and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health in the 1990s. Before entering Parliament, Horam built a diverse career in business and journalism. He worked at Rowntree & Co. as a market research officer from 1960 to 1962, where he conducted research for the iconic After Eight mints. He then transitioned to economic journalism, becoming a feature writer for both the Financial Times and The Economist before establishing CRU International Ltd, a business consultancy focused on minerals and metals. As Conservative MP for Orpington from 1992 to 2010, he was a founder and vice chair of the Common Sense Group of Conservative parliamentarians. In recognition of his long service, he was created a life peer in 2013 as Baron Horam of Grimsargh, and continued his work in the House of Lords until his death. He passed away at age 87 following a fall near his home in London.

Sources

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Horam