Ian Gow

Ian Gow (February 11 1937–July 30 1990) was the Conservative MP for Eastbourne who was assassinated by the IRA.

Gow, a member of Margaret Thatcher's government had resigned in 1985 as Minister of State in HM Treasury over the signing of the Anglo-Irish Agreement. He was a staunch Unionist and regarded negotiating with alleged terrorists as anathema.

On July 30 1990, the IRA left a bomb under the driver's seat of his car; at 08:39 the bomb went off leaving Gow fatally wounded. He bled to death in agonising pain 10 minutes later in the arms of his wife.

Despite this major set-back to the peace process in Northern Ireland, politicians on both sides remained determined to find a peaceful solution to the Troubles.

When his seat in the House of Commons was succeeded by a Liberal Democrat, Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe sent a message to voters saying that the IRA would be "toasting their success".