David Frank Bellotti (13 August 1943 – 10 June 2015) was a British Liberal Democrat politician who was Member of Parliament (MP) for the Eastbourne constituency from 1990 to 1992.
He was also the most recent UK Member of Parliament to successfully take a seat from an opposing party following the assassination of the incumbent politician.
He then won the parliamentary seat of Eastbourne for the Liberal Democrats in the 1990 by-election following the assassination of Conservative MP Ian Gow by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA).
[citation needed] The shock defeat contributed to the end of Margaret Thatcher's premiership in November 1990 as Conservative MPs worried if they could hold their seats at a general election if she remained prime minister.
[7] After leaving the football club and losing his council seat Bellotti moved to Bath and became election agent for Don Foster MP.