On the 40th anniversary of the Brighton bombing, Lord Norman Tebbit has reiterated his refusal to forgive the IRA for the attack that killed five people and left his wife paralysed. The bomb, planted by IRA member Patrick Magee, exploded at the Grand Hotel on 12 October 1984 during the Conservative Party conference, targeting then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
The explosion killed Anthony Berry MP, Roberta Wakeham, Eric Taylor, Muriel Maclean, and Jeanne Shattock. Lord Tebbit and his wife Margaret were buried under rubble; Lady Tebbit remains paralysed to this day. Lord Tebbit, now 83, described Magee as a 'little office boy' who has never repented, adding: 'Without repentance there can be no forgiveness.'
Magee was sentenced to 35 years in prison but released in 1999 under the Good Friday Agreement. He now appears publicly with Jo Berry, daughter of the slain MP, discussing peace and reconciliation. Lord Tebbit criticised this, saying Magee has 'done nothing to put any of it right' and hoped that 'a particularly hot corner of hell' awaits those who planned the attack.
Despite the trauma, Mrs Thatcher delivered a defiant speech later that day, stating: 'All attempts to destroy democracy by terrorism will fail.' However, declassified documents reveal the bombing nearly derailed peace talks, as Thatcher became reluctant to continue secret meetings with the Irish government, fearing the impression of 'being bombed into making concessions'.
Jo Berry, who first met Magee in 2000, said he later realised the humanity of her father and expressed regret. 'He told me that if he had known what he knows about my father now, he would never have been able to do it,' she said. The pair are scheduled to share a platform in Brighton to mark the anniversary.
