Labour's Lord Merlyn-Rees dies aged 85

Lord Merlyn-Rees, emollient home secretary during some of the toughest years of the 1970s Labour government, died yesterday after a long struggle with Parkinson's disease which did not prevent him from leading an active political life in the Lords until a few weeks ago.

He was 85 and died at St Thomas' hospital, London, after lapsing into a coma following a series of falls. Tony Blair called him a "leading figure in our party for decades" who had served as Northern Ireland secretary from 1974-76 and then as home secretary until 1979.

"The affection, respect and admiration in which he was held rests as much on his personal qualities as his undoubted political skills and achievements," Mr Blair added, sentiments which were echoed by former colleagues in all Westminster parties and in Ireland last night.

Lord Healey, his former boss at the Ministry of Defence, spoke of his "invaluable assistance" to his old friend and patron, Jim Callaghan, running a Labour government with no majority through a time of global and domestic political turbulence. Lord Tebbit called him "a friend and a very good and decent man".

A wartime RAF squadron leader who flew Spitfires in Italy, Merlyn Rees was a realist on the Labour right, associated with controversial policies including the 1968 Immigration Act, resistance to freedom of information laws and enforcement of a strengthened Official Secrets Act in the 70s.

He also presided, as incoming Northern Ireland secretary, over the 1974 loyalist workers' strike which hit power stations in the province and wrecked the first attempt at a power-sharing executive for both communities. Having been elected in support of striking miners on the mainland, Labour felt it could not send troops into Belfast's power stations.

MP for Leeds South from 1963 to 1992, "Merlyn", as he was universally known, was "modest, generous, wise and loyal", said Mr Blair.

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