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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Labour MP Michael Meacher dies | Labour MP Michael Meacher dies |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Veteran Labour MP and former minister Michael Meacher has died after a short illness. | Veteran Labour MP and former minister Michael Meacher has died after a short illness. |
| The 75-year-old had been MP for Oldham West and Royton since 1970. | The 75-year-old had been MP for Oldham West and Royton since 1970. |
| He retained the seat with a 14,738 majority at May's general election. | He retained the seat with a 14,738 majority at May's general election. |
| Mr Meacher was an environment minister for six years under Tony Blair and later served as shadow transport secretary and in other front bench roles. He was seen as being on the left of the party. | |
| He served in junior ministerial roles in the Wilson and Callaghan governments in the 1970s and at one time was spoken of as a future Labour leader. | |
| He stood as the left's candidate against Roy Hattersley for the deputy leadership of the party in 1983, but was defeated. | |
| In 2007, he attempted to challenge Gordon Brown for the Labour leadership before standing aside to allow John McDonnell, now the shadow chancellor, to stand as the candidate from the party's left wing. | |
| He quit as a minister in June 2003 reshuffle, saying he planned to speak out on a range of issues from the back benches. |