It was sad to read of the death of Stephen Horgan, Conservative deputy leader of Basildon Council, whose life was tragically cut short by cancer at the early age of 47, leaving a wife and young family.

Our paths crossed in the Letters pages during the early Nineties.

But there was never anything personal in any of the exchanges, which I remember to be spirited.

And while I never read his blog – I come from a tradition that finds Conservatives, even the best of them, to be a bit blinkered – the man was honestly and wholeheartedly committed to his political cause, that’s for sure.

My commiserations to his wife and family.

John Haran
Broadway West
Leigh