Former Mid Sussex MP remembered as ‘kind and unfailingly courteous’

After resigning as Thatcher’s fourth and final Chief Whip, pro-European Tim Renton supported the Maastricht Treaty from the back benches and accused early Tory Eurosceptics of ‘thinking the earth was flat.’

From home at Offham near Lewes he and his wife Alice ran Mount Harry Trees, a deciduous and ornamental tree specialist company. Alice, sons Alex and Daniel and daughters Christian and Chelsea survive him. Another daughter Polly died in 2010.

Renowned artist Chelsea, who lives in Lewes, said: “We were so lucky to have him as a father. He was kind, wise, non-judgmental and loved interacting with others. His glass brimmed over. All us children ended up on the left of politics but we had his total support and understanding,”

Lady Renton said when he left the Commons, so many constituents wrote to thank him for his service.

She said: “It was on our terrace here at Mount Harry that he persuaded John Major to set up the National Lottery. He was very proud of that.”

Born in London, Timothy was the son of Eileen (nee Torr) and her parliamentary lawyer husband. After Eton he achieved first-class honours in history at Magdalen College, Oxford, before taking up a position as a commodity broker on the London Metal Exchange.

He contested the safe Labour seat of Sheffield Park in the 1970 General Election before being chosen for the Tory Mid Sussex constituency at the election in February 1974.

He represented the seat throughout 23 years in the Commons leaving it for the Lords in 1997 as Lord Renton of Mount Harry.

In the Commons he became president of the Conservative Trade Unionists’ group, being a member of the Apex white collar union. In 1984 he became a Foreign Office Minister of State working on the return of Hong Kong to the Chinese. After the 1987 election he moved to the Home Office under Douglas Hurd’s leadership and was created Thatcher’s fourth and final Chief Whip.

He received tongue lashings when he advised her against things she wanted to do. He resigned his position on John Major’s accession and was made Minister for the Arts.

After leaving the Commons he wrote two novels and a memoir, was deputy lieutenant of East Sussex and served on local charities including the Sussex Downs Conservation Trust and Brighton West Pier Trust.

Stephen Phillips, was the Conservative Party agent for Mid Sussex from 1984 to 1996, and acted as Tim Renton’s election agent for 1987 and 1992.

He described how ‘no one knew the constituency better or cared for the people of Mid Sussex more than he did’.

He said: “So much has changed since then. There were no mobile telephones, no email and fax machines had just started to appear in offices. Social media was unheard of. The language and tone of party politics has changed too, much of it not for the better.”

Mr Phillips added: “I worked alongside him as his constituency agent for much of that time. He was single-handedly supported in his work on behalf of his constituents in Parliament by a wonderful secretary, Mrs Anne Harvey (Mrs H) who managed his London diary, his constituency correspondence and parliamentary engagements.

“I looked after his regular advice surgeries which he held in Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill and East Grinstead, his Friday ‘constituency days’ on which he visited schools, hospitals, factories and local voluntary groups and the local Conservative Party in the constituency.

“In everything he did as Member of Parliament for Mid Sussex he was supported by his wife, Alice, who was very much part of our small but extremely happy ‘home team’.

“I shall leave others to pay tribute to Tim’s parliamentary and ministerial career. I knew Tim Renton best as the Mid Sussex constituency MP. He was extremely kind, supportive and unfailingly courteous.

“Calm and unflappable, he had a wonderful sense of humour and fun. Tim often recounted the time when canvassing at the 1970 general election when he contested the staunchly Labour Sheffield Park constituency. Complimenting a steelworker on the primroses in his garden, Tim told him: “Did you know primroses were Disraeli’s favourite flower?” “Is that so?” came the reply. “In that case, I’ll dig the buggers up tomorrow.”

“Tim was the best parliamentary candidate an election agent could ever wish for. He was the most diligent and conscientious local Member of Parliament. I look back on the years I worked with him with great affection.”

Current Mid Sussex MP Mims Davies said she was saddened to hear of Lord Renton’s death.

She added: “He was a stalwart in the Conservative Government of the 80s and early 90s.

“I have some knowledge of what it’s like to be in the Whips Office, in challenging moments and some understanding of how exciting, tricky and challenging some of those Parliamentary days could have been at times.

“My sympathy and thoughts go out to his family at this sad time of loss, as we again thank him for his great service to Mid Sussex constituents and to public life.”

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