SIR Hilary 'Hal' Miller, a former Bromsgrove and Redditch MP, has died at the age of 96.

Sir Hal, who died on Saturday, March 21, unsuccessfully fought Barrow-in-Furness in 1970, and Bromsgrove in a 1971 by-election.

He was then elected to the seat for Bromsgrove and Redditch - when the towns had one constituency - in February 1974.

He held this seat until the constituency split in 1983, but continued as Bromsgrove's MP until he retired in 1992.

During his time in Parliament the MP was on the right of the party voting with Margaret Thatcher's leadership.

But as he was devoted to his constituency this led to him clashing with his party on some issues, an example being his support for MG Rover employees and him criticising the Labour and Conservative government's treatment of these industries.

He served as a Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to various members of parliament between 1979 and 1987.

From 1978 he chaired Parliament’s all-party Motor Industry Group.

Political commentators have speculated he damaged his career through some of the stands he made including his resignation as a PPS to Francis Pym, the Leader of the House, in protest at the preferential treatment he claimed the government was giving state-owned British Steel.

After his retirement he joined the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the trade association of the motor industry in the UK, as its chief executive.

He also served as managing director and chairman of Cosmopolitan Textiles Limited, and in 2005 he became a key supporter of Project Kimber - formed to keep MG sportscars British after MG Rover's entered administration.

Bromsgrove's current MP, Sajid Javid, paid tribute to Sir Hal calling him an incredible public servant while Bromsgrove Conservation Association secretary, Jill Dyer, described him as a wonderful and a guiding hand.

Away from politics, Sir Hal was a supporter of Bromsgrove Rugby Football Club, where he played and refereed.

In a statement the club played tribute to its former vice president, saying: "We shall all remember with affection his wit and wise counsel - may he rest in peace."

He was knighted in 1998, and appointed deputy lieutenant for Worcestershire in 2000.

Hal Miller married Fiona McDermid in 1956, having two sons and two daughters. In 1976 he married Jacqueline Roe, who he had a son and a daughter with.