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| Ex-Labour chief Michael Foot dies | Ex-Labour chief Michael Foot dies |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Former Labour Party leader Michael Foot has died, aged 96. | Former Labour Party leader Michael Foot has died, aged 96. |
| Mr Foot was elected Labour leader in 1980, succeeding Jim Callaghan, but stood down after losing the 1983 election to Margaret Thatcher. | Mr Foot was elected Labour leader in 1980, succeeding Jim Callaghan, but stood down after losing the 1983 election to Margaret Thatcher. |
| Mr Foot, who was also a prolific writer, was first elected to Parliament in 1945 and was an MP for 47 years. | Mr Foot, who was also a prolific writer, was first elected to Parliament in 1945 and was an MP for 47 years. |
| Prior to becoming Labour leader, Mr Foot served in the Callaghan and Harold Wilson governments as Minister for Employment and Commons leader. | Prior to becoming Labour leader, Mr Foot served in the Callaghan and Harold Wilson governments as Minister for Employment and Commons leader. |
| Mr Foot's death was announced in the House of Commons by Justice Secretary Jack Straw, who paid tribute to his skills as a Parliamentary orator, comparing one speech he had given in 1980 to a "Mozart concerto". | |
| "He was held in very great affection in all sections of the house and the country," added Mr Straw. | |
| Commons speaker John Bercow added to Mr Straw's tribute, describing Mr Foot as a "quite extraordinarily distinguished Parliamentarian". |