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Paying tribute to former MP

By LUCY MILLARD - 09-02-2007

The funeral service for former Newark MP Mrs Fiona Jones is due to take place at Lincoln Crematorium today. 

Mrs Jones, of Church Road, Saxilby, was found dead at her home last week. She would have been 50 later this month.

A spokesman for the Lincoln coroner's office said her death was due to natural causes and there would not be an inquest.

Her former election agent says difficulties during her time as an MP, and afterwards, all took their toll.

Mr Des Whicher (81) of George Street, Newark, helped to guide the campaign that led to Mrs Jones's election in 1997.
Mr Whicher also found himself standing next to her in the dock on charges of falsifying election expenses.

He said although their conviction was overturned by the Court of Appeal things were never the same for her.
"Her death is a tragedy. She felt let down by the whole system," Mr Whicher said.

He said Mrs Jones was a lively person who was committed to what she was doing. He remained in contact with her.

"Over the last two years there were definite signs of strain and stress," he said.

The Newark MP, Mr Patrick Mercer, who defeated Mrs Jones in the General Election of June 2001, said: "My sympathy goes particularly to her family and her two young sons.

"The last five or six years have been a difficult time for her and I would suspect that unwittingly I was an element in making that time difficult for her and I regret that.

"I never had any difficulties with her in the time that I knew her. I think she believed in socialism and was a principled person."

The Sherwood MP, Mr Paddy Tipping (Lab) said: "She had a very difficult period in politics and I was sorry to hear she had died. "I had a good relationship with her and she was always bubbly, lively and full of ideas but politics took their toll.

The chairman of the Newark branch of the Labour Party, Mr Laurence Goff, of Farndon Road, campaigned for her in the 2001 election and was with her when news of her defeat came through.

Mr Goff said he admired her because of her resolve to stick by her beliefs. He said she had not had an easy political
career.

The chairman of the Newark Constituency Labour Party, Mr Vic Hall, of Queen Street, Balderton, said Mrs Jones had worked hard for her constituents.

"I did some voluntary work in her Newark office so I saw evidence of this," he said.

"She was a loving wife and her death is a sad loss."A spokesman for the Labour Party said they were shocked to learn of Mrs Jones's death.

"Our thoughts are with her family at this very difficult time," he said.

Residents of Saxilby said the Fiona Jones they knew away from politics was a housewife with a happy and bubbly personality.

Mr Dennis Dixon, of D. J. Hairdressing, Bridge Street, said: "I always got on with her. We were pleased for her
when she was elected. People weren't really interested when she got into difficulties because she wasn't our MP."

The owner of Tongue's DIY, Mr Albert Horton, remembers Mrs Jones popping in to the shop.

"She was a normal housewife and mother. She only popped down last month for coal as they had run out," Mr Horton said.

"I was surprised that she went into politics. Her career was cut short by what happened to her."

Mrs Jones leaves her husband, Mr Chris Jones, and sons Penri (17) and Huw (13).

Among Blair Babes

Mrs Fiona Jones was chosen by Labour as the party's prospective Parliamentary candidate for Newark in September 1995.

The constituency was seen as a key seat in deciding the 1997 General Election. At the time Mrs Jones, who was educated at a Roman Catholic convent in Liverpool, was secretary of the Gainsborough constituency Labour Party.

She had been a party member for 20 years. Her selection was not supported by all members of the Newark branch and caused a split among them.

But to some the blonde mother-of-two was seen as offering real hope of securing the seat held by the Conservatives through Mr Richard Alexander for 18 years.

Those hopes proved well founded when she was elected in May 1997, overturning an 8,229 majority to take the seat by 3,011 votes.

She was hailed as one of the Blair Babes and was pictured with Tony Blair and other successful women candidates.

Things started to go wrong for her in June 1997 when the Liberal Democrat candidate in Newark, Mr Peter Harris, raised concerns about the running costs of Labour's General Election campaign in Newark.

In April 1998 it was announced that Mrs Jones and her agent, Mr Des Whicher, would be prosecuted under the Representation of the People Act 1983, which governs election law.

The pair were committed to stand trial at Nottingham Crown Court on August 6, 1998. Their 18-day trial started on February 23, 1999.

They were both convicted on unanimous verdicts of knowingly falsifying election expenses. Mrs Jones was ordered to do 100 hours' community service and was disqualified from Parliament.

Mr Whicher was fined £750 and lost his seat on Newark town and Newark and Sherwood district councils.

Both appealed against their convictions, which were overturned at the Court of Appeal. Mrs Jones was allowed to return to the House of Commons.

Her stint as an MP remained controversial with letters to the Advertiser complaining about her missing meetings and not helping with problems.

In 2001 she lost her seat to Conservative Mr Patrick Mercer, who won with a 4,073 majority.

Mrs Jones was last in the headlines when she unsuccessfully brought a civil case against Nottinghamshire Police over the investigation into her election expenses.

The case was thrown out by a judge in 2005.
 

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