▁G ow ▁voted ▁for ▁Margaret ▁Th atch er ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁round ▁ball ot . ▁Once ▁Th atch er ▁had ▁forced ▁Edward ▁He ath ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁contest , ▁several ▁new ▁candidates ▁appeared ▁and ▁G ow ▁switched ▁his ▁support ▁to ▁Geoff rey ▁How e ▁in ▁the ▁second ▁round , ▁which ▁Th atch er ▁won . ▁G ow ▁was ▁brought ▁onto ▁the ▁Conserv ative ▁front ▁ben ch ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁to ▁share ▁the ▁duties ▁of ▁opposition ▁sp okes man ▁on ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁with ▁A ire y ▁Ne ave . ▁The ▁two ▁men ▁developed ▁a ▁Conserv ative ▁policy ▁on ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁which ▁fav oured ▁integration ▁of ▁the ▁province ▁with ▁Great ▁Britain . ▁This ▁approach ▁appeared ▁to ▁avoid ▁comprom ise ▁with ▁the ▁province ' s ▁national ist ▁minor ity ▁and ▁with ▁the ▁government ▁of ▁the ▁Republic ▁of ▁Ireland . ▁Both ▁Ne ave ▁and ▁G ow ▁were ▁killed ▁by ▁car ▁bomb ▁attacks ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁respectively . ▁Irish ▁republic an ▁par amil itar ies ▁claimed ▁responsibility ▁in ▁both ▁cases , ▁but ▁nobody ▁was ▁ever ▁charged ▁with ▁causing ▁the ▁death s ▁and ▁claims ▁were ▁made ▁concerning ▁possible ▁invol vement ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Central ▁Int elligence ▁Agency ▁( CI A ) ▁and ▁intelligence ▁community . ▁ ▁Through ▁his ▁association ▁with ▁Ne ave , ▁G ow ▁was ▁introduced ▁to ▁the ▁inner ▁circles ▁of ▁the ▁Conserv ative ▁Party . ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁parliament ary ▁private ▁secretary ▁to ▁Margaret ▁Th atch er ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 7 9