Tributes have been paid to a former Home Secretary and Mitcham MP who died last week.

Lord Carr of Hadley, who also umpired at the Wimbledon tennis championships and briefly led the Conservative party, died on February 17, aged 95.

He served as MP for Mitcham from 1950 to 1974 and served as a member for the cabinet where he championed controversial changes to industrial relations laws that were hated by unions.

In 1971 two bombs exploded at his home in Barnet, blowing in his front door and wrecking his kitchen.

The attacks were the work of an anarchist group called the Angry Brigade, five of whom were jailed for the crime.

From 1972 to 1974 Lord Carr was Home Secretary, and in 1975 was placed in temporary charge of the Conservative party before the election of Margaret Thatcher as leader.

Earlier in his life he had worked in the metal industry and after leaving the House of Commons joined the boards of Cadbury’s and Norwich Union and was chairman of Prudential Assurance.

He was a keen tennis player and umpired at Wimbledon’s All England Club, where he later became a vice-president.

He was also MP for the new seat of Sutton Carshalton from 1974 to 1976, when he was made a peer, after a reshuffle of constituency boundaries. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.

Councillor Debbie Shears, leader of Merton Council’s Conservative group, said: “Long-term residents of Mitcham will remember Lord Carr as a dedicated MP who worked tirelessly on behalf of his constituents.

“During a long career as both MP and Government minister, he did a great deal to put our area on the map.

“On behalf of Merton Conservatives, I offer my sincere condolences to Lord Carr’s family.”

Baroness Warsy, co-chairman of the Conservative Party, said: "It is with great sadness that we learn of the death of the Baron Carr of Hadley.

"He was a true Conservative who served his party with distinction.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Joan and his two daughters."

Got a story for us? Call 020 8722 6333, tweet @WimbledonNews or email: newsdesk@wimbledonguardian.co.uk.