The former British Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Whitelaw, has died. Lord Whitelaw, who was 81, died this morning after a long illness. William Whitelaw became the first Northern Ireland Secretary in 1972. It was later revealed that, a few months after his appointment, he held secret talks with IRA leaders in London. He was leader of the House of Commons under Edward Heath and Home Secretary and leader of the Lords under Margaret Thatcher.
For over three decades Willie Whitelaw played a leading role in British politics, earning a reputation as a man who could handle any crisis. That element of his make-up was put to the test when Ted Heath appointed him Northern Secretary in 1972, the first after the collapse of the Stormont government. Almost immediately, Mr. Whitelaw found himself embroiled in controversy after the IRA revealed that some of its leaders had met him secretly in London.
At the height of the row there was talk of him resigning, but he survived only to find himself at the centre of another row when he decided to confer political status on some paramilitary prisoners, a move which, he later said, was his greatest political mistake. Willie Whitelaw left Northern Ireland shortly before the Sunningdale conference, which led to the setting-up of the ill-fated powers sharing executive in the North.
However, he continued to play a prominent role in British politics serving as Home Secretary and leader of the House of Lords under Margaret Thatcher. In a tribute, the Conservative leader, William Hague described him as one of the towering figures of British politics.
