TRIBUTES have been paid to Sir David Mitchell, the former Basingstoke and North West Hampshire MP who died at the weekend at the age of 86.

Sir David passed away at his home in Odiham in the early hours of last Saturday following a long illness, his family said.

He was elected Basingstoke MP in 1964, and served the constituency until 1983, when he became MP for North West Hampshire.

Sir David retired from politics in 1997, but remained in Odiham, playing an active role in local politics.

His eldest son Andrew Mitchell, the MP for Sutton Coldfield and former chief whip, told The Gazette: “He loved the area. He loved his constituency, and he had many friends within it.”

Sir David was succeeded in North West Hamp-shire by his Conservative colleague and current constituency MP Sir George Young.

Sir George paid tribute to his predecessor on his website, saying Sir David was “loyal, unflappable and hard-working”.

Sir George added: “Until relatively recently, he would come to local constituency events, and only stood down as association president last year.

“David was a good friend, who served his country well. He will be much missed by his many friends in the constituency.”

Born on June 20, 1928, Sir David left school at the age of 16 with few qualifications and started work as a trainee at a vegetable supplier to London’s Covent Garden.

He became a member of St Pancras Borough Council before he was elected Conservative MP for Basingstoke in 1964. Sir David’s candidate selection interview took place at The White Hart pub, in Whitchurch, and he celebrated his election win at the Conservative Club in Basingstoke, then in Church Street.

He went on to hold ministerial positions in trade, Northern Ireland and transport in Margaret Thatcher’s Government.

Sir David played a key role in the Channel Tunnel project, and became the first minister to walk through it when the British and French tunnel work finally joined.

Sir David also worked as a wine merchant for Fleet Street-based firm El Vino, making regular trips to Bordeaux and Burgundy in France.

He married Pamela Haward in 1954, although they later separated, and she died in 2005. The couple had two sons – Andrew and Graham – and a daughter, Suki.

In a statement following his death, Sir David’s family thanked the health professionals who “enabled him to die peacefully in his own home”.

Sir David’s funeral will take place at All Saints Church, in The Bury, Odiham, at 3pm on Thursday, September 11.