Former MP pays tribute to after death of Dame Cheryl Gillan

It was confirmed yesterday that Dame Cheryl had died after a long illness, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson leading the tributes.

Dame Cheryl had served as Secretary of State for Wales from 2010 to 2012 and was acting joint chair of the 1922 Committee of Tory backbench MPs from May to September 2019.

Former Montgomeryshire MP Glyn Davies has paid tribute to Dame Cheryl, who he served as Parliamentary Private Secretary during her time in the Welsh Office.

Mr Davies, who was elected in 2010, was appointed to the role after winning the Montgomeryshire constituency from Liberal Democrat Lembit Opik.

He described Dame Cheryl as a friend and "hugely respected" in the Conservative Party.

Closely

"I worked closely with Cheryl when she was Secretary of State for Wales," he said.

"Not only were we friends and colleagues, but she appointed me as her PPS (her eyes and ears) when she was first appointed to the Wales Office in 2010.

"Quite a learning curve for me. I had just been elected MP for Montgomeryshire. We worked together for the three-year period she spent in the Wales Office.

"Though she represented an English constituency, she was proud to be Welsh, was hugely respected in the Conservative Party and gave great service to the party through her work on the 1922 Committee. She was also a doughty fighter in what she believed and a determined opponent of HS2."

Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, Jane Dodds, the former MP for Brecon and Radnorshire, also paid tribute.

She said: "Cheryl served her constituents and her parliament well and will be fondly remembered by members of all parties for her role in delivering the 2011 referendum on law making powers.

"My thoughts and prayers are with her friends and family at this difficult time."