 He was 24 years old at the time, and was the youngest MP ever elected to the parliament.On the party's left wing, he and fellow MPs including Helen Suzman, Colin Eglin, Ray Swart, Harry Lawrence and Dr Jan Steytler resigned from the party after its national congress voted against returning any further land to the black majority for their occupation and use.He and the other liberal MPs formed the new Progressive Party in 1959.