This week: a former Tory cabinet minister and a rugby league footballer
THE politician John Moore, Lord Moore of Lower Marsh, who has died aged 81, was a former Conservative cabinet minister and ardent supporter of Margaret Thatcher who was once spoken of as her possible successor.
Born into an ordinary background in London, his father worked in a bar and his mother as a waitress. He won a scholarship to the Licensed Victuallers' School in Slough, where he excelled at sport. He then won a scholarship to the LSE where he studied politics.
In the 1960s he worked for a time in banking in the United States before moving back to London where he joined a US stockbroking firm. He then became involved in politics when he stood as a councillor in south-west London before his election as the MP for Croydon Central in 1974.
The following five years were spent in opposition but after Mrs Thatcher's election victory in 1979, Moore joined the energy department as a junior minister. He then worked under the Chancellor Nigel Lawson at the Treasury.
He entered the Cabinet in 1986 as transport secretary and prepared British Airways for privatisation before being moved to health and social services following the Conservatives' third election victory in a row in 1987. His aim was to reform both the NHS and social services and encourage the use of "market solutions" but the brief proved too big and unwieldy and the department of health and social security was eventually split with the NHS part being given to Kenneth Clarke.
Moore was eventually reshuffled out of the cabinet in 1989 and stood down from politics three years later. He went on to work in business and was chair of Rolls-Royce; he also sat on the governing council of the LSE. He is survived by his two sons and a daughter.
THE sportsman Quentin Pongia, who has died aged 48, a rugby league footballer who became captain of New Zealand and was a Super League Grand Finalist with Wigan.
Pongia won 35 caps for the Kiwis from 1992-2000 and played in the 1995 World Cup. He also played for Canberra 74 times from 1993-1997 and was a key member of their 1994 Premiership-winning team.
He also played in the NRL for the New Zealand Warriors, Sydney Roosters and St George Illawarra and had spell in France with Villeneuve before joining Wigan in 2003.
He was in the Warriors' front row when they lost to Bradford in the 2003 Grand Final at Old Trafford but was forced to retire the following season after it was discovered that he suffered from hepatitis B.
Pongia spent time with the Raiders as a member of their coaching staff and was most recently working for Manly as part of their backroom team.
Canberra coach and former team-mate Ricky Stuart said: "Like a number of players who played with him, I have nothing but respect and a wonderful friendship with Quentin and, although it saddens me to hear of the news, it comforts me to know he has no pain now.
"Quentin is the toughest individual I have ever played with and I know how hard he fought to beat this terrible disease. He will be sorely missed right across the rugby league community."
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