Bentley John Heddle (15 September 1943 – 19 December 1989) was a British Conservative Party politician.

John Heddle
On the television discussion programme After Dark, March 1988 - "No Place Like Home"
Member of Parliament
for Mid Staffordshire
Lichfield and Tamworth (1979–1983)
In office
3 May 1979 – 19 December 1989
Preceded byBruce Grocott
Succeeded bySylvia Heal
Personal details
Born
Bentley John Heddle

(1943-09-15)15 September 1943
Died19 December 1989(1989-12-19) (aged 46)
near Chartham, Kent, England
Political partyConservative

Political career

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Heddle contested Gateshead West in February 1974, being beaten by Labour's John Horam. In October 1974 he stood in Bolton East, but was again defeated.

He was Member of Parliament for Lichfield and Tamworth from 1979 to 1983, and for Mid Staffordshire from 1983.

Death

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Early on 19 December 1989, Heddle was found dead in his car in a chalk pit near Chartham in Kent.[1] A hose was found connected to the car's exhaust pipe.[2] The death was ruled a suicide; he reportedly killed himself due to the indebtedness of his property businesses.[3] The subsequent by-election was won by Labour's Sylvia Heal.

References

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  1. ^ "MP found dead in car", The Times, 20 December 1989
  2. ^ "By-election test for Tories after death of MP". The Glasgow Herald. 20 December 1989. p. 5. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
  3. ^ "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 17 December 1997". Retrieved 5 July 2009.
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Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Lichfield & Tamworth
19791983
Constituency abolished
New constituency Member of Parliament for Mid Staffordshire
19831989
Succeeded by