Former Labour minister dies after cancer diagnosis

The former Labour minister Phil Woolas, who served in the governments of both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, has died at the age of 66.

Woolas, who had brain cancer, held several ministerial roles including for local government, environment and immigration and served as MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth between 1997 and 2010.

Paying tribute, former prime minister Sir Tony Blair said he was an "outstanding" member of the New Labour government.

His family and close friends said in a statement: "For more than a year he battled the brain cancer, glioblastoma. He leaves his wife Tracey, his sons Josh and Jed and a new grandson, and many friends and former colleagues who will all miss him greatly."

Sir Tony described Woolas as "a greatly respected and admired colleague, and a source of both humour and rich political insight to all lucky enough to know him".

He added: "I remember and deeply appreciate his support to me over the years, through the good times and the bad.

"My deepest condolences to the wonderful Tracey and to their sons, Josh and Jed, and all their wider family."

Before entering Parliament, Scunthorpe-born Woolas was the president of the National Union of Students, a TV producer and GMB union communications director.

In a notable moment at the Home Office, he was confronted during a live news conference by actor Joanna Lumley to make concessions over the rights of Gurkhas to remain in the UK.

He lost his seat in the Commons after an extraordinary legal tussle – a very rarely convened election court ruled he had lied about his Liberal Democrat opponent.

Woolas admitted one of his election leaflets had "sailed very close to the wind" and sought to challenge the court's decision, but was unsuccessful.

He later said that he did not believe that he misled anyone.

He was banned from politics for three years in 2010. He had won the seat by 103 votes but the result was declared void by an election court.

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