Popular Liberal MP Steven Ross was elected to the House of Commons for the Isle of Wight constituency for the second time on 10th October 1974.
In a 3-cornered contest, Ross took 29,697 votes – 45% of those cast. The Conservative candidate Dudley Fishburn came 2nd with 27,657 votes, with the Labour candidate trailing in 3rd with 8,562 votes.
Ross first won the constituency in February of that year with 34,808 votes – over half of all the votes – beating his Conservative opponent by 7,766 votes on a turnout of over 80%.
The former Liberal MP went on to win 2 further elections in 1979 and 1983. The 1979 election was a very close call with his having a majority of just 352.
He retired in 1987 to the House of Lords, taking the title Baron Ross of Newport.
Steve Ross joined the Royal Navy aged 18 towards the end of World War II. He later qualified as a chartered surveyor. He moved to the Isle of Wight in 1953, where he found work with estate agents Sir Francis Pittis, eventually becoming as partner.
Steve joined the Liberal Party in 1961, working for an elderly lady candidate Barbara Bliss. He first unsuccessfully stood for election in 1966 and then again in 1970. He became leader of the Isle of Wight County Council in 1973.
While in the House of Commons, he became party spokesman on housing, local government, the environment, transport and then Northern Ireland. He was responsible for the Housing (Homeless Person) Act of 1977, which he had promoted as a Private Member’s Bill.
After elevation to the House of Lords, Lord Ross of Newport retired to the Welsh border country with his wife Brenda. He died in London on 10 May 1993.
Former Liberal Party leader David Steel said of Steve:
“He was an immensely popular campaigner for the island’s interests.
“As an MP, he had to look after one of the largest constituencies in the land – 90,000 electors – and was totally assiduous, as I saw on many visits there. He was proud of the hovercraft and Britten-Norman Islander aircraft industry as well as being a promoter of small businesses some of which he helped personally by opening up a craft market centre.
“He was a devoted servant to his people and a most loveable colleague and companion. One of the house officials said to me the day he died: ‘He was a really nice man, and you can’t say that about many in this place.'”
Steve Ross the best MP the island has ever had one of the few who didn’t feather his own nest what a difference to today”s lot they do nothing else but feather their nests
Modern day politicians are in it to win it,
they are not bothered about anyone else
except themselves, too busy lining their own
pockets.
The Winter Fuel Allowance cuts have shown us that.
While many of the elderly will sadly die this winter
MPs will be nice and warm with their heating on
paid by us tax payers.
Very sad many MPs were frightened to go
against the Government’s cruel decision.