Former Labour minister dies after cancer battle

A former Labour MP and minister had died aged 66 after suffering from brain cancer for years, his family have said.

Phil Woolas, who served in both the Tony Blair and Gordon Brown governments and as MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth between 1997 and 2010, died on Saturday morning.

The Scunthorpe-born politician held several ministerial roles including for local government, environment and immigration.

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."

Before entering Parliament, he was the NUS president, a TV producer and GMB union communications director.

He won the seat by 103 votes but the result was declared void by an election court.