Ian Gow
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Ian Gow (February 11 1937–July 30 1990) was the Conservative MP for Eastbourne who was assassinated by the IRA.
Gow, a member of Margaret Thatcher's government was persuaded by the speeches of his cousin Nicholas Budgen to resign in 1985 as Minister of State in HM Treasury over the signing of the Anglo-Irish Agreement. He was a staunch Unionist and regarded negotiating with alleged terrorists as anathema.
On 21st November 1989, Gow made history by becoming the first person to speak in the House of Commons with television cameras present. Gow's speech was packed with his notorious dry humour and was well received by the chamber and television viewers alike.
On July 30 1990, the IRA left a bomb under the driver's seat of his car; at 08:39 the bomb went off leaving Gow fatally wounded. He bled to death in agonising pain 10 minutes later in the arms of his wife.
Despite this major set-back to the peace process in Northern Ireland, politicians on both sides remained determined to find a peaceful solution to the Troubles.
When his seat in the House of Commons was succeeded by a Liberal Democrat, Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe sent a message to voters saying that the IRA would be "toasting their success".