A sad day for Labour as Dr Ashok Kumar dies suddenly and Michael Foot is laid to rest

By Alex Smith / @alexsmith1982

Dr Ashok Kumar, the Labour MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, has died suddenly today, aged just 53.

Gordon Brown said he was greatly saddened by the “warm and incredibly generous” Dr Kumar’s death, and that he was a tenacious campaigner. He added:

“Ashok was a hard-working constituency MP who took pride in representing the people of Middlesbrough as both a councillor and MP since 1987. His long-standing campaigns to keep shipbuilding in Teesside were respected by all sides of the House.”

Hilary Benn, who worked with Dr Kumar at DEFRA, said:

“It is very hard to believe that Ashok is no longer with us. Ashok was a pioneer, a doughty fighter for his constituents and a Labour man through and through who cared deeply for others. He was also fearless in pursuit of what he saw as right. I came to value his friendship, his loyalty and his sense of fun over the many years we worked together.”

Dr Kumar’s office remarked:

“Ashok was a fine politician who served his constituency and his constituents with diligence and unswerving commitment. He was a natural fighter and a community leader. He first won his seat in 1991 in a by-election, only to narrowly lose it in the 1992 general election. Undaunted, he stood again and in 1997 regained the seat and successful defended it in following contests.”

Tony Blair said his death was “a genuine tragedy and source of real sadness”.

Labour also marked the death of Michael Foot today at his funeral in north London.

Gordon Brown praised Foot as “one of the most elegant of orators; one of the greatest parliamentarians ever” and said he lived “in the service of the greatest of progressive causes…He graced the country and for those of us privileged to know him, he graced all of our lives”.

Neil Kinnock added “In thought and in word and in deed, Michael Foot was brave and brilliant.”