elor ▁solic itor , ▁aged ▁ 2 9 , ▁we aring ▁his ▁public ▁school ▁manner ▁as ▁prom in ently ▁as ▁his ▁ro set te . ▁W ords ▁such ▁as ▁' over power ing ', ▁' ar rog ant ', ▁and ▁' bel lic ose ' ▁are ▁used ▁to ▁describe ▁him ." ▁ ▁After ▁failing ▁to ▁take ▁Cla ph am , ▁he ▁continued ▁his ▁quest ▁to ▁find ▁a ▁seat . ▁He ▁eventually ▁succeeded ▁at ▁East bourne ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁after ▁the ▁local ▁Party ▁de - selected ▁its ▁sitting ▁member , ▁Sir ▁Charles ▁Taylor . ▁Sir ▁Charles ▁had ▁represented ▁East bourne ▁since ▁ 1 9 3 5 ▁and ▁did ▁not ▁take ▁kindly ▁to ▁G ow . ▁ ▁Parliament ary ▁career ▁G ow ▁entered ▁Parliament ▁as ▁the ▁member ▁for ▁East bourne ▁in ▁the ▁general ▁election ▁of ▁February ▁ 1 9 7 4 . ▁For ▁a ▁home ▁in ▁his ▁constitu ency , ▁G ow ▁acquired ▁a ▁ 1 6 th - century ▁man or ▁house ▁known ▁as ▁The ▁Dog house ▁in ▁the ▁village ▁of ▁H ank ham . ▁East bourne ▁was ▁then ▁a ▁safe ▁Conserv ative ▁seat , ▁and ▁G ow ▁always ▁had ▁a ▁majority ▁share ▁of ▁the ▁vote ▁during ▁his ▁time ▁as ▁the ▁constitu ency ' s ▁MP . ▁In ▁the ▁general ▁election ▁of ▁October ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁he ▁secured ▁a ▁ 1 0 % ▁swing ▁from ▁Liberal ▁to ▁Conserv ative , ▁dou bling ▁his ▁majority . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁Conserv ative ▁leadership ▁election ,