HE was, said one obituary (in a leading US newspaper, incidentally), "a flamboyant figure, given to fast cars, and with handlebar moustache and booming plummy voice." In January 1972 Sir Gerald Nabarro, the maverick Tory MP for South Worcestershire, came to Glasgow. He told a meeting of Hillhead Conservatives that in his view, rampant inflation caused by Harold Wilson had brought about the collapse of Upper Clyde Shipbuilders and Rolls-Royce. He predicted a "boom year" for Scotland "as for other parts of the UK" but added: "Let a couple of lame ducks go under and drown from time to time because it is not a part of a Conservative Government's philosophy to cause lame ducks to swim."

In the words of Andrew Roth, an expert Westminster observer, Sir Gerald, who died in November 1973, liked being a "self-parodying, self-publicising Rightist; trumpet voice, bushy upper lip." One 1999 profile of him said he was a natural performer and that listening figures peaked on Any Questions? whenever he appeared. He opposed, it added, "Europe, the abolition of capital punishment, drugs, students, pornography and pop music."

In October 1972 Sir Gerald won an appeal against a driving ban, having been found guilty of dangerous driving. Throughout his two trials the MP insisted that it was his (female) secretary who had been driving his Daimler, registration NAB 1, at the time. The jury in the second trial returned a unanimous verdict of Not Guilty, and his conviction, £250 fine and two-year driving ban were quashed.