Lord Tebbit: The RAF jet pilot who became Margaret Thatcher's most trusted ally

Lord Norman Tebbit, who has died at the age of 94, was probably best known as the political wingman of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s, but was also an accomplished pilot in his younger years.

Joining the RAF at the age of 18 for his National Service, he served with 604 Squadron in North Weald, Essex, flying Meteor F.8 and Vampire jets.

He narrowly survived a terrifying crash when he aborted a take-off and his Meteor landed wheels up and caught fire at the end of the runway.

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After his National Service, Lord Tebbit joined the BOAC airline as a long-haul pilot and navigator.

Despite an open disregard for trade unions which would later define his political career, he was chosen to represent the British Airline Pilots Union.

He was passionate about flying and also remained a part-time pilot for the Royal Auxiliary Air Force for several years.

However, he eventually gave it up to embark on a political career.

In 1970, he was elected as a Conservative MP and then became a cabinet minister for Margaret Thatcher's government when she entered Downing Street for the first time in 1979.

He was then appointed as Employment Secretary and remained Mrs Thatcher's staunch ally throughout her years in power.

Lord Tebbit had another escape when the Grand Hotel in Brighton, where he was staying for the Conservative Party Conference, was bombed by the IRA.

He suffered serious injuries in the blast and his wife Margaret was left paralysed from the neck down and remained in a wheelchair for the rest of her life.

However, it did not deter him from continuing his political career, helping Mrs Thatcher win a third victory in 1987.

Despite the high-flying start to his career as an RAF pilot, Lord Tebbit will ironically be best remembered for the phrase "on your bike".

He made this controversial remark at the Conservative Party Conference in 1981, referring to the large numbers of unemployed in the country at the time and the fact that they should be encouraged to move to find work.