[1andrew1]

Alistair Darling, who served as chancellor under Gordon Brown, has died at the age of 70, his family has confirmed.

The Labour Party stalwart became a household name when the then-prime minister gave him the keys to the Treasury back in 2007 - running the department throughout the global banking crisis and staying in post until Mr Brown lost the election in 2010.

But he had been a presence in Tony Blair's government from the start, beginning as chief secretary to the Treasury in 1997 following Labour's landslide victory, and going on to run a number of departments - including work and pensions, transport and trade.

Lord Darling's family confirmed the news on Thursday, saying he had died after a short spell in Western General Hospital under the "wonderful care" of the cancer team.

In their statement, they described him as "the much-loved husband of Margaret and beloved father of Calum and Anna".

After the news was announced, tributes poured in from all sides of the political spectrum, led by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, who said he had "lived a life devoted to public service".

He said Lord Darling's "calm expertise and honesty" as chancellor helped guide the country through the 2008 financial crisis, but that his "greatest professional pride" was serving his constituents in Edinburgh as an MP between 1987 and 2015.

Echoing the sentiment, ex-prime minister Mr Brown tweeted that he "like many, relied on his wisdom, calmness in a crisis and his humour", adding: "He will be missed by all who knew him."

And one of his Conservative successors, Jeremy Hunt, described him as "one of the great chancellors", saying he would be "remembered for doing the right thing for the country at a time of extraordinary turmoil".

https://news.sky.com/story/former-la...-dies-13019561