Labour’s first feminine normal secretary, Baroness Margaret McDonagh, has died on the age of 61. Described as an "absolutely essential part" of Labour’s landslide election victory in 1997 and a "tour de force", the peer was identified with a mind tumour after affected by a collection of suits in November 2021.

Her elder sister Siobhain, a Labour MP for Mitcham and Morden, just lately accused the NHS of "abandoning" her in an emotional speech in Parliament earlier this yr.

Baroness McDonagh’s dying was introduced on Saturday.

Sir Keir Starmer mentioned it was "absolutely devastating news".

He added: "Margaret McDonagh gave her life to the Labour Party. Margaret may not have been as famous as some of the politicians she worked with but they wouldn’t have got into power without her.

"As normal election co-ordinator, Margaret was a completely important a part of the 1997 Labour landslide, and because the first feminine normal secretary led the organisation by a historic re-election marketing campaign in 2001.

"Both inside and outside of the Labour Party, Margaret was a tireless champion for women, mentoring a whole generation of political and business leaders. To the very end Margaret was campaigning for better healthcare for those with brain tumours.

"Margaret was absolute proof that one particular person could make a distinction on the earth. The distinction with Margaret is that she additionally constructed a military of change-makers alongside the way in which who will proudly keep on that struggle in her identify.

"You can’t think about Margaret without her sister Siobhain (the Labour MP for Mitcham and Morden), campaigners together not just in Mitcham and Morden, but across the world.

"Our ideas and prayers are with Siobhain, and all Margaret’s household and pals at this tragic time. I do know I converse for a lot of after I say I'll miss her friendship and clever counsel within the years forward."

In March, Siobhain McDonagh fought back tears as she told the Commons about her sister’s glioblastoma, the disease she was diagnosed with after suffering from fits.

Ms Mcdonach criticised the NHS for its brain cancer treatment. She told MPs the Baroness had been on a course of treatment which involved a monthly four-day trip to Dusseldorf, Germany.

She said: "The numbers that the NHS is presently forsaking and abandoning to worldwide journey, the fortunate individuals who can get the funds to try this, is nothing in need of an entire and utter nationwide scandal.

"I wonder what my mum, who came here in 1947 to train as the first generation of nurses from Ireland, would say about the NHS abandoning her daughter."

Peter Mandelson, who was Labour’s marketing campaign director within the 1997 normal election, mentioned of the previous normal secretary's dying: "Margaret was a tour de force. “She ran Millbank in 1997 with a rod of iron. Everyone was terrified including me.

"I've by no means met anybody so resolute, so uncompromisingly sincere and so direct.

"She almost never made it to the high command in the early 1990s, but once she arrived there was no going back. She was formidable."