Lord Alan Haworth dead: Labour politician dies aged 75 after falling ill on Iceland cruise ship holiday

Labour politician Lord Alan Haworth has died at the age of 75, the political party has confirmed.

The peer was renowned for his role as secretary of the parliamentary Labour Party from 1992 to 2004, before he became a member of the House of Lords.

Lord Haworth passed away in Iceland while enjoying a cruise ship holiday with his wife Maggie Rae on Monday morning. He had fallen ill last week, and was helicoptered to a hospital in the capital of Reykjavik where he was treated for bacterial pneumonia.

It is understood that the 75-year-old then died of heart attack.

Ms Rae, the wife of the Labour politician, paid a touching tribute to her late husband and thanked the efforts of doctors and nurses who worked to treat him.

She said: "I am obviously heartbroken but I cannot speak highly enough of the Icelandic health service and the doctors and nurses who looked after him. I will never be able to thank them properly for their kindness and their professionalism."

Other members of the UK political world have rushed out to pay tribute to Alan Haworth, including Labour leader Sir Kier Starmer, who said: "Alan Haworth was a dedicated servant of the Labour Party and a diligent student of its history. Alan worked for the party in both the House of Commons as PLP secretary and then in the House of Lords as a working peer, without fuss or fanfare but with an absolute determination to make life better for working people.

"He played a key role in delivering Labour's 1997 landslide and ensuring the party was re-elected. Alan will be greatly missed on both the green and red benches in Parliament. My thoughts are with Maggie and all his family and friends at this terrible time."

Baroness Angela Smith, Labour's leader at the House of Lords, added: "Alan was Labour to his core with an entertaining, warm-hearted and encyclopaedic knowledge of parliamentary colleagues past and present. He was great company and held the respect and affection of all in the Labour Peers Group. I am shocked at this news and will miss him dearly."

A private funeral for Lord Alan Haworth and a planned celebration of his life is expected to take place at a future date.