A major scandal involving a leading member of Margaret Thatcher's Government erupted in the autumn of 1983 when it emerged that Conservative Party Chairman Cecil Parkinson had not only been involved in an affair with his then secretary Sara Keays, but that she was carrying his child.
Parkinson was credited with masterminding the Conservative election victory of that year; Thatcher had intended to make Parkinson Foreign Secretary in her new Government but had been advised by Parkinson himself that this was not a wise move, informing her of the situation. Instead, she awarded him the post of Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. When the affair reached the attention of the tabloid press, they published lurid headlines such as 'PARKINSON SENSATION' and in the wake of this, Parkinson was forced to resign from his post. Despite this, his wife Anne stood by Parkinson, and the baby (Flora) was born on the last day of 1983, 31st December.
A dispute over child maintenance payments, plus the persistent attention of the press, led to Parkinson taking out an injunction in 1993 which forbade any mention of their daughter in the media. At first this was supported by Keays, but it later emerged that Flora was suffering from learning difficulties and Asperger's Syndrome, causing Parkinson to be painted as uncaring.
He was reappointed to Thatcher's Government in 1987, as Secretary of State for Energy and moved to Transport in 1989. Standing down as an MP at the 1992 General Election he was created as Baron Parkinson of Carnforth that year.
The injunction expired in 2001, when Flora reached 18 years old, and when it was shown that Keays had essentially brought up her daughter alone and with little to no contact from Parkinson (other than some financial support), the politician came in for renewed criticism from the media who were now free to report on the matter.
2023 update: Cecil Parkinson died in January 2016 aged 84; it was reported that he had left Flora out of his will but had provided a life assurance policy for her. Her mother later sued the estate for further support, stating that Flora still required round-the-clock care.
Keays herself was critical of Parkinson's attitude and in particular of how the party appeared to 'close ranks' on her, accusing them of actively seeking to discredit her.
Flora continues to require 24-hour care, and in a documentary broadcast on Channel 4 in 2002 she herself stated that she was disappointed that her father was never involved in her life.
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