C.V. “Jim” Woolridge was most famous for his many years as tourism minister.

A man of strong views, he said in his memoirs, The House that Jack Built, that he was “hired, fired, rehired, refired and then rehired again” from the ministry for standing his ground.

Mr Woolridge’s longstanding political colleague, Trevor Moniz, formerly of the United Bermuda Party and now a One Bermuda Alliance MP, said Mr Woolridge was “a man of integrity and principle”.

Mr Moniz added: “He was my running mate for ten years in Smith’s South, and I was on his branch committee for three years. He was a mentor to me.

“He had a very proud tradition of representing Smith’s; they don’t make them like that any more.”

Mr Moniz was among the rebel United Bermuda Party MPs who opposed Sir John Swan, then the premier, over his 1995 independence referendum, and Mr Woolridge was also an outspoken opponent of the vote.

Sir John stepped down as leader of the party after independence was rejected by the island’s voters by a massive majority.

A similar rift occurred in 1996, when Mr Woolridge joined with UBP rebels, dubbed “the People’s Five”, who opposed Sir John, then a backbencher and UBP MP Maxwell Burgess’s bid to introduce a McDonald’s burger franchise to the island.

Mr Moniz said last night: “Jim had a lot of native intelligence and common sense. He was grassroots, in touch with all people. He could sit at anyone’s kitchen table and have a conversation.

“He had that personality and common touch, which was part of what made him a very important figure in Bermuda’s public life.”

Mr Moniz added: “You didn’t get any doubletalk from Jim. He told you how he saw it, straight up, and people respected him for that.

“You always knew he was not trying to spin things. Most politicians now will say one thing today and the opposite tomorrow.

“Jim was consistent in his principles and beliefs and he stuck to them come hell or high water.”