8:40am Friday 17th July 2009
By Paul Teed
A former Heston and Isleworth MP who campaigned against aircraft noise from Heathrow in the 1950s and 60s has died aged 96.
Richard Reader Harris, who passed away on July 7, lost his Conservative seat in 1970 after he was caught up in a controversial fraud case involving entrepreneur John Bloom, in which they were both cleared of all charges.
Mr Reader Harris’ association with the trial, which resulted from the collapse of Bloom’s company, led to his political downfall.
He was acquitted just before the elections, but Barney Hayhoe was chosen to fight the seat instead, and subsequently went on to hold it.
Mr Reader Harris said as he left: "Politics are out for me now."
The barrister and unionist held his seat for two decades, and as a backbencher was opposed to hanging and supported Prime Minister Anthony Eden over the Suez crisis.
He fought for aircraft noise limits and scaling-down of expansion plans, and reacted angrily when his constituents were told it was a privelege to live so close to Heathrow and they would soon get used to it.
He won the Heston and Isleworth seat in 1950, ousting the Labour member by 4,279 votes. Following his political career he remained in business until his late 80s.
He married Pamela Stephens in 1940. She divorced him in 1963. H e is survived by his second wife, Una, and his three daughters from his first marriage. His son from his second marriage died in 2007.
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