Ian Clarke Former long serving North Norfolk MP Sir Ralph Howell left almost £2m in his will.He died aged 84 in February and represented the constituency for the Conservatives from 1970 until he retired before Labour's 1997 landslide election victory.

Ian Clarke

Former long serving North Norfolk MP Sir Ralph Howell left almost £2m in his will.

He died aged 84 in February and represented the constituency for the Conservatives from 1970 until he retired before Labour's 1997 landslide election victory.

Sir Ralph, of Abbey Farm, Wendling, near Dereham, had estate valued at £1.9m and left it to his relatives.

His dogged pursuit of a workfare policy for almost five decades finally won respect from MPs and political rivals.

Sir Ralph was a former flying officer in the RAF and later became a farmer.

He was an ex National Farmers' Union branch chairman and founder chairman of Dereham Young Conservatives.

One of Sir Ralph's sons Paul, 57, was killed in a plane crash in September.

He had also been a key political figure and was a former Euro MP, as well as being a colourful socialite.