Former MP Sir Patrick Duffy dies at 105
Sir Patrick Duffy, believed to be the longest-living former MP in the UK, has died aged 105, reports BritPanorama. The former Sheffield Attercliffe MP passed away on January 2 following a short illness, according to family friend Kevin Meagher.
Born in Wigan in 1920, Sir Duffy was first elected to Parliament in 1963 after winning the Colne Valley by-election. He held his seat in Sheffield Attercliffe from 1970 until his retirement in 1992. During his political career, he served as a parliamentary under-secretary for the State for Defence under James Callaghan’s Labour government in the 1970s and acted as the opposition spokesman for defence in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Sir Duffy was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1991, and in 2017, he received a papal knighthood from Pope John Paul II. Notably, he confronted former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in 1981 regarding the death of republican hunger striker Bobby Sands. A family friend stated that Sir Duffy and Mrs. Thatcher later shared tea when he presided over the NATO Assembly in the 1980s.
His life was marked by extraordinary experiences, including serving during World War II and surviving a plane crash in the Orkney Islands, where he remained in the wreckage for 24 hours before rescue. After his political career, Sir Duffy authored several books, including his autobiography, Growing Up Irish in Britain, published in 2014, and From Wigan to Westminster: Hot Wars, Cold Wars and the Carrier Strike Groups, released in 2024.
He celebrated his 100th birthday on June 17, 2020, at his home in Doncaster. When asked about the secrets to his longevity, Sir Duffy attributed his long life to never smoking, opting to walk rather than use ministerial transport, and maintaining a reading habit. Sir Duffy became the oldest living former MP following the death of his Labour Party colleague Ronald Atkins at the age of 104.
Sir Patrick Duffy leaves behind a legacy characterized by public service, intellectual curiosity, and personal resilience, resonating across generations of family and friends, who will remember his kindness, humour, and remarkable memory.
The passing of Sir Patrick Duffy serves as a reminder of the deep history embedded within the UK’s political landscape and the personal stories that shape public life. As institutions evolve, the enduring impact of individuals like Duffy illustrates the complexities and narratives that animate democracy and public discourse.
