Death of former NI secretary Pym

Lord Pym held several cabinet posts during his long career

The former Northern Ireland Secretary of State Lord Pym has died aged 86 after a long illness.

Francis Pym was Northern Ireland's second secretary of state.

He followed Willie Whitelaw in the post but his tenure was of very short duration, from November 1973 to February 1974.

That period, however, included some of the peak periods of violence in the history of the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

It also coincided with the opening of negotiations at Sunningdale to conclude a power-sharing peace settlement.

One of his first tasks was to swear in the power-sharing ministers, led by Brian Faulkner and Gerry Fitt.

His term in office was cut short by the defeat of the Heath government in a snap election in early 1974

He later became British Foreign Secretary during the Falklands War after the resignation of Lord Carrington.

His political career also included spells as defence secretary and as chief whip of the Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher.