Phil Woolas, former Labour MP and minister, dies of brain cancer aged 66 | Labour
Former Labor MP and minister Phil Woolas has died of brain cancer, his family and close friends announced on Saturday morning.
Woolas, 66, was elected to parliament to represent Oldham East and Saddleworth as part of Labour’s landslide victory in the 1997 general election and remained in Westminster throughout New Labour’s 13 years in power.
In government, Woolas held a number of ministerial posts, including as secretary of state for local government, environment, borders and immigration, a position he held in succession until Labor fell from power.
In a statement announcing his death, his family and close friends said: “He battled the brain cancer glioblastoma for over a year. He leaves behind his wife Tracey, sons Josh and Jed, his new grandson, and many friends and former colleagues who will miss him greatly.”
Woolas joined the Labor Party when he was 16 and was a member of the Anti-Nazi League in his youth. Between 1984 and 1986 he was president of the National Union of Students, a group held by many future politicians, including current Labor Secretary Wes Streeting.
Before starting his career in journalism, Woolas worked in television, including producing BBC Newsnight and Channel 4 News. He also served as communications officer for the GMB union. After leaving politics in 2010, he set up his own political lobbying firm and served as chairman of the Ace Centre, a charity based in Oldham in his former constituency, which provides assistive technology to disabled people with communication problems.
Woolas was criticized during his last ministerial tenure for his suggestion that Gurkhas, Nepali soldiers who served in the British army during major conflicts, could only settle in Britain if they met a number of conditions, such as 20 years of military service.
Following a campaign by well-known figures including actor Joanna Lumley, the government announced that the amount of military service required would be reduced by 80% and Gurkhas who had served four or more years in the army would be allowed to settle in the UK.
Woolas, who retained his seat in the 2010 election in which he was defeated by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition, lost his seat months later when the court ruled that he had made false statements against a Liberal Democrat opponent during his first election campaign.
A statement from friends and family added: “Phil founded and ran his own political and risk consultancy from 2011.
“For over 25 years Phil chaired The Ace Centre, a charity helping people with communication difficulties in Oldham, leading it to become a national charity leader in assistive technologies for people with severe disabilities.”
