Former Labour MP and minister Phil Woolas dies of brain cancer aged 66
Former Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair led tributes to Mr Woolas.
Phil Woolas, a Labour former minister and MP, has died at the age of 66, his family and close friends have announced.
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Mr Woolas, who died in the early hours of Saturday, served as a minister in both the Blair and Brown governments, and as MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth between 1997 and 2010.
Former Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair led tributes to Mr Woolas, describing him as a “greatly respected and admired colleague”.
A statement attributed to Mr Woolas' family and close friends announcing his death said he had “battled the brain cancer, glioblastoma”.
It said: “Phil Woolas, former Labour MP and minister, has died aged 66.
“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.
"Before entering Parliament, Phil was NUS president, TV producer and GMB union communications director.
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“He served as MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth from 1997 to 2010, and a minister in both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown’s governments – appointed successively: whip, deputy leader of the Commons, local government minister, environment minister and immigration minister.”
In a notable moment of his career at the Home Office, Mr Woolas was on one occasion confronted by actor Joanna Lumley during a live press conference to make concessions over the rights of Gurkhas to remain in the UK.
Mr Woolas’ parliamentary career came to an end in 2010 after his victory in the general election was declared void.
This was after he was found to have breached electoral law with campaign leafleting, which knowingly made false claims about his Lib Dem opponent in the contest.
A subsequent by-election in 2011 saw Debbie Abrahams, a Labour MP, returned to Parliament for the seat. She represents Oldham East and Saddleworth to this day.
The statement from Mr Woolas’ friends and family added: “From 2011 onwards, Phil set up and ran his own political and risk consultancy.
“For more than 25 years, Phil was the chair of The Ace Centre, an Oldham charity helping people with communication difficulties, that he led to become a national charity leader in assistive technology for severely disabled people.”
Among those who paid tribute to his life and work were former prime minister Sir Tony.
He said: “Phil was an outstanding member of the New Labour government, a greatly respected and admired colleague, and a source of both humour and rich political insight to all lucky enough to know him.
“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.”