Tributes have been paid to Conservative grandee Sir John Nott after his death aged 92. Sir John was Margaret Thatcher’s defence secretary when the Falklands Islands were invaded by Argentine forces in 1982.He twice offered his resignation in the days afterwards amid intense criticism, but Mrs Thatcher insisted he say.  Sir John then became known for walking out of an interview with broadcaster Robin Day during the Conservative Party conference in October 1982.Day had repeatedly asked him about cuts to the navy budget and branded him a ‘here today, gone tomorrow politician’, prompting Sir John to remove his microphone and brand the interview ‘ridiculous’ as he walked away. His death was announced last night by his daughter Sasha Swire, the author and diarist. She said in an emotional post on X: ‘RIP my beloved father, John Nott, protector, politician, farmer, me.’ Tributes have been paid to Conservative grandee Sir John Nott after his death aged 92. Sir John was Margaret Thatcher’s defence secretary when the Falklands Islands were invaded by Argentine forces in 1982. Above: Sir John with Mrs Thatcher in 1982Broadcaster Iain Dale said: ‘John Nott was a very great man. His autobiography, remains one of the best political books I ever published. ‘I persuaded him to call it “Here Today, Gone Tomorrow”. He didn’t like it initially as it reminded him of the time he walked out of an interview with Sir Robin Day after he called Nott a “here today gone tomorrow politician”. ‘I loved my dealings with him. He liked a deal! Sincere condolences to all his family.’Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel said: ‘John Nott was an inspiring Defence Secretary and politician who stood up, alongside Margaret Thatcher, to aggression. ‘His resolute determination to free British sovereign territory from tyranny is as important today as it was during the Falklands conflict. ‘My condolences go to his family and loved ones at this sad time.’ Former Conservative MEP Daniel Hannan said: Sir John had a quizzical, detached, sardonic take on life, a world away from the cheerless passion of modern politics. I shall miss him.’ In October 1982, Sir John walked out of an interview with broadcaster Robin Day during the Conservative Party conference Day had repeatedly asked him about cuts to the navy budget and branded him a ‘here today, gone tomorrow politician’ Sir John seen behind Margaret Thatcher as she talks to the Press outside Downing Street during the visit of US President Ronald Reagan, June 1982 Prime minister Margaret Thatcher with ministers Geoffrey Howe, Keith Joseph, John Nott and  Norman Tebbit on the Conservative front bench in the House of Commons His death was announced last night by his daughter Sasha Swire, the author and diarist. She said in an emotional post on X: ‘RIP my beloved father, John Nott, protector, politician, farmer, me’ Broadcaster Iain Dale said: ‘John Nott was a very great man. His autobiography, remains one of the best political books I ever published Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel said: ‘John Nott was an inspiring Defence Secretary and politician who stood up, alongside Margaret Thatcher, to aggression Former Conservative MEP Daniel Hannan said: Sir John had a quizzical, detached, sardonic take on life, a world away from the cheerless passion of modern politics. I shall miss him’Sir John’s speech the day after the Falklands invasion on April 2, 1982, was seen as poor, prompting calls for him to quit.The politician was among those who believed that the islands could not be recaptured. Allthough Mrs Thatcher insisted he remain in post, foreign secretary Lord Carrington felt culpable for the invasion and could not be persuaded not to resign.Sir John revealed after Britain’s victory in the conflict that he ‘wasn’t much aware’ where the Falklands were before the invasion.He told the BBC: ‘Of course I knew that we had some Royal Marines there, but I had to remind myself as to where the Falkland Islands were, when the scrap merchants landed on South Georgia.”I had a huge great globe in my room in the Ministry of Defence and I went over to it to rediscover the geographical position of the Falklands. ‘I was a bit horrified to see how far away they were.’ Sir John Nott at his Chelsea home in 2014. He ran his farm after retiring from politics and enjoyed shooting Sir John’s daughter Sasha Swire is the author of bestselling book Diary of an MP’s Wife Coverage in the NEWSWALLA on October 6, 1982, when Sir John urged the nation to be proud of Britain’s victory in the Falklands WarSir John was part of a five-man war cabinet that was led by Mrs Thatcher and chief of the defence staff Admiral Sir Terence Lewin during the ten-week conflict.He stepped down as defence secretary in January 1983 and then quit as an MP at that year’s election.Before entering Parliament as MP for St Ives in 1966, Sir John served as a regular with the 2nd Gurkha Rifles as a lieutenant and saw service during the Malayan emergency from 1952 to 1956.He met his wife, Yugoslav ex-Communist Miloska, while a law and economics student at Cambridge.The couple had three children. As well as Sasha, the wife of Conservative MP Hugo Swire, they had sons Julian and William. Julian, a film composer, wrote the theme music to Peppa Pigg. William worked in the oil industry.In later life, Sir John ran his 200-acre farm in Cornwall and enjoyed hunting, fishing and shooting.