Veteran Labour MP Gwyneth Dunwoody dies at 77

One of the most respected politicians at Westminster, she was a scourge of both parties during her remarkable 38-year Commons career.

The Labour MP for Crewe and Nantwich proved a fiercely independent chairman of the influential transport select committee, and survived an attempt by party whips to get rid of her.

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Yesterday, tributes from across the political spectrum were paid to Mrs Dunwoody.

Speaking from the U.S., Gordon Brown said: "So many people will be so sad to hear of the death of Gwyneth Dunwoody.

"She was always her own person. She was fiercely independent. She was politics at its best - a great parliamentarian. She will be sadly missed in all parts of the Houses of Parliament."

Tory leader David Cameron said: "She was courageous in her political beliefs and an inspiration to many. Her defiance and willingness to stand up to the Establishment was truly admirable."

Mrs Dunwoody was born in West London to a politically active family. Both her grandmothers were suffragettes, her father was general secretary of the Labour Party, and her mother was a minister in the Lords.

She was originally elected to parliament in 1966 for Exeter, and from 1967 was a junior minister at the Board of Trade.

Mrs Dunwoody hit the headlines when she remarked during a Commons debate that husbands did not send flowers to their wives often enough. The next day, florists queued up outside the Commons, armed with massive bouquets for her.

She lost her seat in the 1970 election, but returned as MP for Crewe four years later. She stood as deputy leader in 1983 but lost heavily to Roy Hattersley.

During the decade she worked tirelessly on the Labour's national executive committee against infiltration of the party by the farleft Militant Tendency.

From 1997, Mrs Dunwoody served as chairman of the transport select committee, and produced a series of critical reports which proved politically damaging for Tony Blair's government.

Her family said she had been ill for about a week and had been admitted to hospital. She died peacefully on Thursday evening. She leaves a daughter, two sons and ten grandchildren.

Mrs Dunwoody's son, David, said: "She said what she believed was true and defended those who did not have many people to defend them. She stood up for her principles, she was a wonderful woman."