- Celebrities attend Draper’s funeral
- Garraway posts Instagram tribute
- Draper suffered Covid complications
Politicians and celebrities, including Sir Elton John and Sir Tony Blair, attended the funeral of former political adviser and author Derek Draper, who passed away last month.
Their children and Draper’s spouse, television host Kate Garraway, were also in attendance at the private service.
Ever since Draper contracted the disease in March 2020, he had been afflicted with severe complications caused by Covid.
December marked the onset of his cardiac arrest, which concluded in early January.
At the time, Garraway posted an Instagram statement referring to her “adoring husband Derek.”
Sir Elton dedicated his song “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” to Garraway and Draper, who were able to attend his O2 Arena performance in London, in April of last year.
Following their marriage in 2005, Draper and Garraway had two children.
Garraway, the host of Good Morning Britain (GMB), cordially welcomed attendees prior to Draper’s interment.
Among them were Susanna Reid, Ben Shephard, and Richard Madeley, all fellow GMB presenters. Piers Morgan, a former GMB presenter, was also in attendance.
In addition to Richard Madeley, musician Myleene Klass, who has filled in as presenter of Garraway’s Smooth Radio programme in the past, was present to offer her final respects.
Political Figures Honour Derek Draper
Alastair Campbell, a former Labour spin doctor, and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer also arrived at the chapel in North London.
Former Labour Members of Parliament Lord Peter Mandelson and Tristram Hunt, the current director of the Victoria and Albert Museum, joined them.
Additional political figures in attendance at the ceremony included Ed Miliband, the shadow climate secretary, and former shadow chancellor Ed Balls.
Draper, a native of Chorley, Lancashire, devoted nearly a decade to lobbying for the Labour Party.
Following his acquittal in the “Lobbygate” scandal, wherein he was caught publicly boasting about his ability to sell access to government ministers, he withdrew from politics in 1998.
He retrained as a psychotherapist and wrote regularly about it in newspapers and magazines. His novels include Blair’s 100 Days and Life Support.
He established LabourList, an independent news website that supported the Labour Party, in 2009.
Sir Tony was among those who paid tribute to Draper following his passing, praising him as a “great friend and good colleague.”
