Home Secretary takes part despite death of her father

AMBER RUDD took part in last night’s BBC election debate just 48 hours after the death of her father.

Tony Rudd, who died on Monday evening aged 93, had been planning to watch the debate with the rest of his family. A family friend said he took “great pride” in his daughter, the Home Secretary, and Ms Rudd felt sure he would have wanted her to carry on.

Ms Rudd had a dinner with her family on Tuesday night to celebrate her father’s life, and friends said she has been fully involved with the funeral arrangements. A friend of the family said: “It would have been madness for her [not to take part] – it’s just not what her father would have wanted.

“The family got together on Tuesday night with all the children to celebrate their father’s life. Their father took such pride in her he would have loved it. He was actually looking forward to watching this debate.”

Mr Rudd, an Oxford graduate and Second World War pilot, worked for the Bank of England. He later became a journalist, covering the Suez crisis for The Guardian, and he also set up his own City broker, Rowe Rudd.

The death came after her ex-husband, AA Gill, with whom she had two children, died of cancer in December.