Lord Boswell, former Daventry MP, dies aged 82

Lord Boswell wearing a dark suit with a checked shirt and a tie. He is wearing light coloured glasses for his official House of Lords portrait. — Image caption,
Lord Boswell of Aynho has been described as "warm, kind and genuine"

Laura Coffey

BBC political reporter, Northamptonshire

3 September 2025

Lord Boswell of Aynho, whose political career spanned four decades, has died aged 82.

The former Conservative MP was first elected to the Daventry constituency in 1983 and held the seat until 2010.

The Lord Speaker announced his death in the House of Lords on Monday, external, stating the former member had died on 30 August.

The chairman of Daventry Conservative Association and leader of the Conservative group on West Northamptonshire Council, Dan Lister, said: "He will be remembered not only for his dedication in Parliament, but also warmth, kindness and genuine care he showed to people in our community."

He added Lord Boswell was "always approachable and ready to listen and his contribution to local life will be fondly remembered".

In John Major's government he was a minister, first at the Department of Education and then at Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

He was also deputy speaker in the House of Lords between 2018 and 2019.

He retired from the House of Lords in July, external.

From left-to-right, Chris Heaton-Harris and Lord Boswell, who are wearing darkl suits and ties, and Dame Andrea Leadsom, who is wearing a patterned dress — Image caption,
Lord Boswell (centre) with fellow former MPs Chris Heaton-Harris and Dame Andrea Leadsom at an event in September 2024

His Daventry constituency was redrawn in 2010, when the South Northamptonshire seat was created.

Dame Andrea Leadsom, the former Conservative MP for South Northamptonshire, said: "Northamptonshire was his home and he cared deeply about our beautiful countryside, our fascinating history and also about the wellbeing of all who live and visit here.

"He will be very much missed, and I am personally very grateful for his kindness and wise advice for me when I became the MP for South Northamptonshire in 2010."

He lived in the village of Aynho in west Northamptonshire for 57 years.

Chris Heaton-Harris, also a former Conservative MP, said: "Following on from Tim as the MP for Daventry was actually quite daunting.

"He was widely respected across the political parties nationally and locally and had built a reputation for being a first class constituency MP who deeply cared for and respected his constituents."