Tributes flow in after death of former minister Lord Young aged 90
Social media tributes have flown in following the death of former businessman and Conservative cabinet minister Lord Young of Graffham aged 90.
Lord Young – who served twice as secretary of state during the 1980s – was considered one of Margaret Thatcher’s right-hand men.
He became secretary of state for employment in 1985 while two years later he was appointed as trade secretary.
Lord Young was also at the helm of several businesses, including telecoms company Cable & Wire.
Chair of the National Lottery Heritage Fund Sir Peter Luff commended Lord Young for his pragmatism and for really getting “things done in government,” while minister for London Paul Scully said the former minister was “a political hero” of his.
“In public service for over 40 years and a true champion of business and enterprise throughout, from Thatcher’s government to my own, he was a thoughtful, kind and lovely man and will be deeply missed,” added former prime minister David Cameron.
Lord Young was appointed as enterprise adviser for small and medium sized businesses during Cameron’s premiership but resigned from his role less than a month later.
The former minister received backlash after he said that Britons had “never had it so good” during the “so-called recession.”