2 weeks Ago By Adele Merson
Aberdeen’s own Michael Gove will become Lord Gove of Torry when he enters the House of Lords next month, the P&J can reveal. The former senior Conservative MP says the local title pays respect to “somewhere very special”, as well as honouring his late father Ernest Gove who was born there. His dad’s fishing business, established by Mr Gove’s grandfather, was based in Torry and Michael Gove himself was Christened at St Fittick’s Church.
In an exclusive interview with the P&J, he said: “It’s really in memory of my dad who “He meant everything to me. He was a wonderful man.” He also wants to recognise his mum, Christine, through the title.
“I felt that I wanted to take the title particularly in honour of my dad but also in recognition of my parents,” he said. “My parents adopted me when I was four months old. I’d never have been able to achieve anything in my life if it hadn’t been for their love and kindness.
” The soon-to-be Lord Gove of Torry, who stood down as an MP last year, was given a peerage in former Prime Minister list earlier this month. The high-profile politician, who is now the editor of The Spectator magazine, says while he spent his political career as MP for Surrey, it was Aberdeen that shaped him. He was brought up in the city, attending Sunnybank and Kittybrewster primary schools, after which he passed the entrance exam for Robert Gordon’s College.
Following his studies at Oxford University, he returned to the city to start his journalism career at the P&J, later becoming an MP in 2005. ‘Aberdeen shaped me’ Reflecting on what the city means to him, he said: “It’s where I grew up and where I got the opportunities from my parents and my teachers. “Aberdeen shaped me.
People in Aberdeen might regret that now and say ‘why do we get the blame?’ But it’s Aberdeen that made me.” Mr Gove will formally adopt his new title when he is sworn into the House of Lords later next month. But what will the city’s residents make of his new grand title in the Lords? “I don’t know”, he admits.
“I hope that people will recognise that this is born of affection and respect. “Torry as a community has been resilient through thick and thin. “One of the things I witnessed was the decline in the fishing trade there.
“I’m paying my respect to somewhere that’s very special. “It may be that people are scunnered or pleased.”.
