Tributes paid as journalist Sir Bernard Ingham dies age 90
Tributes have been paid to former Hebden Bridge journalist Sir Bernard Ingham, the long standing press secretary to Margaret Thatcher.
Sir Bernard, who was 90-years-old, died after a short illness last Friday, his family said.
His son John Ingham said: “To the wider world he is known as Margaret Thatcher’s chief press secretary, a formidable operator in the political and Whitehall jungles.
“But to me he was my dad – and a great dad at that. He was a fellow football fan and an adoring grandfather and great-grandfather. My family will miss him greatly.”
Former Halifax Courier editor Edward Riley recalled, as a junior reporter, sharing the press bench with Sir Bernard at Halifax Borough Court.
"He was always kind and helpful and I found him much the same when our paths crossed in later years, “Mr Riley posted on Facebook.
"Despite his lofty position, his love of Hebden Bridge and the Calder Valley never diminished.
"After his retirement, he wrote a weekly column for the Hebden Bridge Times for nominal payment such was his love of the paper that shared his early career.”
Former Courier walking columnist John Manning described spending a day walking the tops of the Calder Valley with Sir Bernard exploring the tops of the Calder Valley.
"Politics didn’t come into the day; it was all about his love of the area and of walking, two things we each shared,” Mr Manning posted on social media.
Sir Bernard, who was born on June 21 1932 and educated at Hebden Bridge Grammar School, started his career in journalism aged 16 on the Hebden Bridge Times, before moving to The Yorkshire Post and Yorkshire Evening Post.
He worked with the Guardian before becoming a government press officer but positioned himself as a bitter enemy of “spin”, criticising those who practised the “black art”.
Sir Bernard would handle the media as Lady Thatcher’s press secretary for all but the first few months of her premiership.
There was nothing of the suave, silver-tongued diplomat’s courtly finesse about Sir Bernard. Nor yet was there about Baroness Thatcher.
He always spoke the gritty, direct and rugged language that he learned in his beloved Hebden Bridge. It was straight and the message was constant.
Whatever the occasion, whoever the guest, he – like her – did not change his tune.
His formidable presence and indomitable style had spread the myth that he exercised more power in Britain than anyone except – and then arguably – the prime minister herself.
His family described him as a “journalist to his bones”. He was twice offered the editorship of The Yorkshire Post in 1989 and only turned down the job as he had recently been made head of the Government Information Service in Downing Street.
In the political world, his pedigree was not what one would expect of a man who embodied high Thatcherism. In Leeds, he once unsuccessfully stood as a Labour candidate in a local election.
One of his first ministerial “clients” was Barbara Castle at the department of employment, a politician for whom he continued to have enormous regard.
He spent the next decade transforming himself into probably the most professional press officer Whitehall had ever seen.
He also worked for Tony Benn, when energy secretary. In 1979, he temporarily left press relations to become an under-secretary working on the energy “Save It” project.
But he was snapped up by Baroness Thatcher, then six months into office. It was an unerring choice. From that day, he shadowed the prime minister across the globe, assiduously spreading her message to all who listened.
He inspired in his Downing Street staff loyalty bordering on devotion. His press officers worked uncomplaining day and night,
seven days a week.
Sometimes he was astonished at the illusion of power that was attributed to him, and accusations of news management.
He said once: “If by news management you mean I try to avoid the government coming out with five major announcements on the same day, I plead guilty.
"I only wish I was as sophisticated
and devilishly clever, as Machiavellian as some make out.”
Sir Bernard was the volcano that exploded and erupted like Vesuvius and then was dormant. One minute he would bellow down the telephone at someone who had upset him. It was, however, quickly out of his system. There were no grudges borne.
But his fierce loyalty for Yorkshire – in particular the Calder Valley – remained unabated. It was exemplified by an incident when he was travelling on a train to Manchester.
When it passed Hebden Bridge, Sir Bernard surprised his companions by insisting: “Lower the windows, take a good sniff of that air, because you are nearer to Heaven now than you ever will be on earth.”
His retirement coincided with Baroness Thatcher’s removal from office. He was awarded a knighthood in her resignation honours and after retiring, he wrote a book – Kill The Messenger – about his life in Downing Street and beyond.
Sir Bernard was married to Nancy for 60 years, whom he met when she was a policewoman in Halifax. She died in 2017.
He is survived by his journalist son John, two grandchildren and a greatgrandchild.