FORMER Bournemouth MP Sir John Butterfill has died at the age of 80.

Having served as the Member of Parliament for Bournemouth West for 27 years, Sir John passed away in the early hours of Sunday November 7 following a long illness.

MP Conor Burns said he was “saddened” to hear of the passing of his predecessor and passed on his condolences to John’s family.

“His wife Pam told me on Sunday,” said Mr Burns.

“It is obviously very sad news for his wife, his family and children.

“He had been ill for a considerable amount of time so, in that way, I think it is a relief and a release for his family that he is no longer suffering.”

Bournemouth Echo: Email from tobias.ellwood@connect.co.uk Received 10.11.08. Tobias Ellwood MP, Sir John Butterfill MP and Conor Burns (selected to stand instead of Sir John when he retires) in Bournemouth's town centre collecting money for the poppy appeal.

Sir John was elected six times as Bournemouth West MP between 1983 and 2010 and was also a member of several committees including the Panel of Chairs and the Trade and Industry committee.

As a backbencher, Sir John piloted many bills through parliament, including a 2008 bill to allow building societies to merge with other financial mutuals.

Knighted in 2003 for services to parliament, he was once considered a possible Speaker, and was chairman of the trustees of MPs’ pension scheme.

Bournemouth Echo: Email from alison@streetwise.org.uk Received 15/9/06. L to R Sir John Butterfill MP Bournemouth West, Alison Curtis, Streetwise Manager, Annette Brooke MP Mid Dorset and Poole North, Peter Isaacs, Streetwise Community Liaison Officer, Gladys and Denis

Conor Burns praised Sir John for his tenacity and fortitude as an MP, adding: “He was very unusual in that, although he was a backbencher, he did shepherd quite a few important acts through parliament and that will be his lasting legacy.

“He showed that in politics you do not need to occupy a ministerial position to get things done.

“He made a significant impact in his role as a backbencher and was a very influential man.”

Sir John leaves behind his wife Pamela, three daughters and a son.

Christchurch MP Sir Christopher Chope paid tribute to his close colleague Sir John as they had worked with each other for some 30 years.

Bournemouth Echo: Conserative candidates John Butterfill, left, and David Atkinson hold up their bag of pound coins..

He said: “It is all very sad. He had been suffering for quite some time now.

“He was the go-to expert on anything to do with pensions and he was well respected in the house. In the days when the 1922 committee was still a thing, it was only for people who were senior politician and well respected.

“A lot of the work we do as MPs is behind the scenes and goes unnoticed by the public and he was definitely someone who didn’t get as much acknowledgement for his work as he probably deserved.”

The Chairman of BCP Council Cllr Nigel Hedges announced the death of Sir John Butterfill during the full council meeting on Tuesday November 9 and a minute's silence was observed in memory of the former Bournemouth West MP.

In his remarks, Cllr Hedges said: “It is with sadness that I inform you of the death of Sir John Butterfill MP.

“He passed away peacefully early on Sunday and has been ill for some time.

“As many long-standing members will know, Sir John served as Member of Parliament for Bournemouth West from 1983 until his retirement in 2010.

“He was elected to Parliament for Bournemouth West six times and, in Parliament, had the distinction for a backbench MP of introducing many acts of Parliament.”