Tony Banks RIP

News has just broken that Tony Banks has died. Warm tributes have been paid. All have mentioned his passion for sport, especially football, and his commitment to animal rights. How Ridiculous remembers his question to John Major in 1995:

'Mr. Banks: Does the Prime Minister agree with the words of the Minister of State for the Armed Forces, the hon. Member for Crawley (Mr. Soames), that Princess Diana is in an advanced state of paranoia?

The Prime Minister: I have no intention of being drawn into making any comments in the aftermath of last Monday. '

Sir John was also never drawn into commenting on Tony Banks' description of Nicholas Soames as a 'one man food mountain'.

He will be greatly missed.

It has not been a good start to 2006 for the Labour Party with the loss of Philip Whitehead, Lord Merlyn-Rees, Rachel Squire and now Lord Stratford.