Herbert Keith Speed (11 March 1934 at 05:15 GMT at Evesham) was MP for Meriden from 28 march 1968 until 1974 General Election . He was elected October 1974 as MP for Ashford. On 4 May 1979 he was appointed parliamentary undersecretary of state. He resigned in May 1981, unable to accept the reductions in the strength of the Roayal Navy . Later events in the Falklands War showed the shrewdness of his position.