Tributes paid to former Corby and East Northants MP

Tributes have been paid to William Powell, the first Conservative MP to serve the current Corby constituency, who won three elections for his party.

Mr Powell, a senior barrister by profession, served as MP for Corby between 1983 and 1997 in which time he was also Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for the Environment.

Born in Crickhowell, Wales, he was educated at Lancing College and Emmanuel College, Cambridge. After his stint as an MP, he finished his career at Regency Barristers Chambers in Peterborough.

Despite losing the 1997 election in the Labour landslide, Mr Powell took a great deal of interest in local politics and would pop in to the Conservative Club in Cottingham Road.

Ray Boyd, communications officer for the Corby and East Northants Conservative Association, said: "He was a very nice chap. He was well liked even by people who didn't vote for him.

"He popped in to see me when he was passing and he liked coming to the Conservative Club. He got on very well with people and he was very interested in Corby.

"He used to pop into the club for a quick half."

Mr Powell, 73, was the first MP for Corby when the constituency was split from Kettering. Although he lived in South Cambridgeshire, he still kept in touch with his former constituency and made a 'modest' donation to the Corby association.

In his last newspaper interview with this newspaper in January he had called for Prime Minister Boris Johnson to resign, passionately stating that his party leader has 'made a fool over himself'.

Mr Powell had also praised the current MP for Corby Tom Pursglove for his 'excellent' work.

Mr Pursglove said: "Incredibly sad to hear the news of William Powell's passing. He is still fondly spoken of by so many across Corby and East Northants and was always extremely kind and encouraging to me.

"He will long be remembered, as will his big contribution to local life and his help for so many residents.

Serving from June 9 ,1983 to May 1, 1997, Mr Powell lost his seat to Labour's Phil Hope in the landslide 1997 Labour victory.

He sat on several Commons' committees including Agriculture, Science and Technology, Foreign Affairs and the Procedure Committee.

Christopher Bramwell, head of chambers, at Regency Barristers Chambers in Peterborough, said: "William was called to the bar in 1971 joining 5 Paper Buildings and then Crown Office Row.

"In 1983 he was elected to The House of Commons where he served as the MP for Corby until 1997 during which time he was also Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for the Environment.

"After leaving parliament, William joined Regency Chambers where he had a mixed common law practice specialising in personal injury cases, employment law and motoring offences. He was a much sought-after defence brief for those accused of motoring offences with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the law in this area.

"William was a well-loved member of chambers who took it upon himself to spend time with all our pupils as well as work experience students. He would often be found in the clerks’ room with junior members offering sage words of advice on their upcoming cases.

"He gave of his time generously to all and would often hold court at chambers' Christmas dinners with an attentive audience for his, often very funny, stories of his time in government, the personalities he worked with - including Mrs Thatcher - and his time at the bar. He will be sorely missed by chambers."