Farewell to 'delightful, engaging' Mo Mowlam (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Farewell to 'delightful, engaging' Mo Mowlam

Mo Mowlam pictured at the Wyvern Theatre for the Festival of Literature SWINDONIANS have paid tribute to former Northern Ireland secretary Mo Mowlam who died today.

Ms Mowlam, 55, who previously suffered a brain tumour, died at the Pilgrim's Hospice in Canterbury, Kent.

She had suffered difficulties with her balance as a result of radiotherapy treatment and earlier this month she fell, banged her head and never regained consciousness.

She had earlier asked not to be resuscitated and in the last few days her food and water were withdrawn.

Today Matt Holland, organiser of the Swindon Festival of Literature, described Ms Mowlam's visit to the festival and his home in 2002.

He said: "She was offered the chance to go to a hotel for a rest but she said 'I don't want to go to a hotel, isn't there somewhere homely?'

"Her publisher rang me and I said 'well there is my home'.

"She went up and had a lie down on my wife's bed then she came down and did the washing up because she saw it needed doing.

"Then she sat down and had tea with us and talked to the children about their exams and whether they should go into politics or not.

"Then she finished the washing up and went to the Wyvern and wowed 400 people.

"She was a delightful, down to earth and engaging woman."

North Swindon MP Michael Wills recalled two other visits Ms Mowlam made to Swindon.

"She came in 1996 and visited the women's refuge," he said.

"She kicked off her shoes, sat on the floor and talked to some of the women there. It was very personal and that was typical of her.

"She came again in 1999 and did a dinner for the Labour Party which was one of the most successful events we have ever held.

"Everyone will remember her with great fondness."

And Julia Drown, former MP for South Swindon, also paid tribute to Ms Mowlam.

"Everyone who had the pleasure of meeting Mo was immediately charmed by her relaxed and down to earth attitude," she said.

"It was always great fun to be with her. She was an amazing politician and admired very much."

Prime Minister Tony Blair described Ms Mowlam as "one of the most remarkable and colourful personalities" ever to enter British politics while Tory leader Michael Howard praised her bravery, and Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy spoke of her deep humanity.

Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern paid tribute to her willingness to take risks for the sake of the peace process.

Outspoken and popular

Ms Mowlam one of New Labour's most popular figures stood down from the Commons at the 2001 general election after 14 years as an MP.

Tony Blair had made her Northern Ireland Secretary when Labour swept to power in 1997.

She won widespread acclaim for her perseverance in working towards the Good Friday peace agreement the following year but during the negotiations it became clear she had been sidelined.

In 1999 she was replaced by Peter Mandelson and moved to become cabinet 'enforcer'.

But her time in the post was marked by a steady stream of reports that someone in high places was briefing against her.

She became even more outspoken after she stood down as an MP, saying it was 'harder and harder to defend what the Labour Government is doing'.

A family spokesman said the funeral would be a private occasion but that there would be a memorial event in a few months.

Ms Mowlam's death comes less than two weeks after former Foreign Secretary Robin Cook died.