Sir Bernard Ingham, long-standing press secretary to Margaret Thatcher, has died after a short illness, his family said. The former journalist, who was also press secretary to Labour MP Tony Benn, was still writing columns until a few days before he died.
Sir Bernard served under Mrs Thatcher between 1979 and 1990, and was knighted in her resignation honours. He was a Fleet Street journalist with The Guardian before becoming a Government press officer and positioned himself as a bitter enemy of "spin", criticising those who practised the "black art".
After leaving Downing Street, he wrote his memoirs, Kill The Messenger. He also worked as a political pundit, an after-dinner speaker, a cruise lecturer and a newspaper columnist.
