Remembering Lord Chidgey
The Council was very sad to learn of the recent death of Lord David Chidgey. A minute's silence was held in his memory at last night's Full Council meeting.
Previously an eminent engineer, David Chidgey became Eastleigh’s MP in 1994 and was re-elected in the 1997 and 2001 general elections. He became a peer in the dissolution honours in 2005 with the title of The Lord Chidgey, of Hamble-le-Rice in the County of Hampshire.
As an MP Lord Chidgey served on the Foreign Affairs Select Committee in Parliament and as a member of the Liberal Democrat front bench team. He held a series of shadow ministerial posts, notably for trade and industry.
Lord Chidgey was made a Freeman of the Borough of Eastleigh in 2005 and was seen at many civic events.
The Mayor of Eastleigh, Councillor Cynthia Garton, said: “Lord Chidgey was a popular and excellent MP for Eastleigh. He was respected across the political divide and was very well liked by those who met him. His passing is a huge loss for the Borough and for politics more widely. Our thoughts are with his wife April, Lady Chidgey, his children and all his friends and family.”