Paul Goggins MP has died, aged 60

Paul Goggins, The Labour MP for Wythenshawe and Sale East has passed away in hospital. He was 60. Goggins fell ill on New Year’s Eve whilst out running with his son and was rushed straight to Salford Royal hospital where he passed away last night. In a statement this morning, his family said:

“Last night  Paul Goggins, our dear dad and husband, died in hospital in Salford with us by his side. We are completely heartbroken.

“He had been very ill since collapsing last week. The way in which he has been cared for at Salford Royal has been such a comfort to us and we can’t thank the staff enough for this.

“We have been overwhelmed by the support and good wishes we have received from so many people – a real sign of love and a reflection of the sort of person Paul/Dad was.

“We would also like to thank the media for continuing to respect our privacy at such a difficult time.”

In a statement released this morning, Ed Miliband praised one of Labour’s most “dignified, humane, wise and loyal MPs”:

“Paul’s family is devastated and heartbroken by his death. They are not alone. The Labour Party has lost one of its most dignified, humane, wise and loyal MPs.

“People from all sides of the House of Commons had the greatest affection, admiration, and genuine respect for Paul. We are deeply saddened by his passing.

“Our thoughts and our deep condolences go out first and foremost to his wife Wyn, and his children, Matthew, Theresa and Dominic. They have lost a husband and a father for whom family was at the heart of everything he held most dear.

“Paul was a man of deep faith whose commitment and strong values shone through everything he did. As a social worker, councillor, MP and Minister, attending to the needs of the most disadvantaged was always at the core of his particularly thoughtful and dedicated service. He was held in great affection by the people of Northern Ireland for his real understanding of the challenges they faced in the aftermath of the Good Friday Agreement.

“I know Paul’s family have been profoundly moved by the outpouring of support, love and affection they have received since Paul fell ill last week. The Labour Party has lost one of its very best and one of its own. We mourn him deeply.”

Andy Burnham – a close friend of Goggins – praised Goggins as “a true champion” for the disadvantaged and dispossessed:

“Paul was a true friend and guide to me and I am devastated by his loss. He personified everything that is good about politics and his values and sheer decency shone through in everything he did.

“Paul was utterly devoted to his constituents and the causes he championed. He was everything a good MP should be and someone in politics for the right reasons.

“The disadvantaged and dispossessed have lost a true champion in Paul Goggins and Parliament is the poorer for his passing.”

Update: Reacting to the news this morning, Labour MP for Manchester Central Lucy Powell said:

“I’m totally devastated at the news. Paul was a wonderful, decent and kind man, loved by all who knew him. He was passionate about Manchester, his home city, and his drive to improve life for his constituents never diminished. He will be greatly missed by Manchester and by all his colleagues in Parliament.”

Update: The Speaker made a heartfelt tribute to Paul Goggins this morning in the chamber:

“I regret to have to report to the House the death of the Right Honourable Paul Goggins, the Member for Wythenshawe and Sale East. Paul was a most assiduous member, serving as a Home Office and a Northern Ireland minister in the last government and most recently as a distinguished member of the Intelligence and Security Committee.

“I am sure that members in all parts of the House will join me in mourning the loss of a colleague and in extending our sympathy to Paul’s wife Wyn, his children Matthew Theresa and Dominic, his granddaughter Eve and his many friends and family.

“Paul and I entered the House together and I can honestly say that I have never heard an ill word spoken of him. Labour to his core, he was yet the least tribal of colleagues.

“Whether battling against poverty, campaigning successfully for the victims of Mesothelioma, working for the rehabilitation of prisoners or striving for peace in Northern Ireland, Paul was the same: principled, eloquent and tireless but unfailingly courteous, measured and respectful. He always played the ball, never the man or the woman.

“An outstanding public servant who came into politics for all the right reasons, Paul’s passing is a loss on so many levels. The House has lost a valued colleague, his constituency a faithful representative, his party an outstanding ambassador and above all his family a loving husband, father and grandfather.

“Prayers for Paul will also be said at the usual 12.45 service today in the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft.”

The thoughts of everyone at LabourList are with his family and friends today and in the coming weeks and months ahead.