Sir Charles Graham Irving (6 May 1924 - 30 March 1995) was a British Conservative Member of Parliament for Cheltenham.
Irving's political career started in 1947 when he was elected to Cheltenham Borough Council, the following year he was elected to Gloucestershire County Council. He was Mayor of Cheltenham 1958-1960 and again 1971-1972. He became an MP in October 1974 at his third attempt and represented Cheltenham until his retirement in 1992. During this time he was Chairman of the Select Committee on Catering from 1979 until 1992 and a member of the All Party Mental Health Committee 1979-1992. Irving was knighted in 1990.[1]
Sir Charles was not afraid to stand up to the Prime Minister of the day, Margaret Thatcher, particularly over the decision to de-unionise Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) a body located within his Cheltenham constituency, but he was also a great admirer of hers; from the day she was elected leader of the Conservative Party until she resigned as Prime Minister fifteen years later, Irving paid to have fresh flowers delivered to her.
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Douglas Dodds-Parker |
Member of Parliament for Cheltenham Oct 1974–1992 |
Succeeded by Nigel Jones |