LABOUR leader Sir Keir Starmer has led tributes to former party MP Austin Mitchell following his death at the age of 86.
Mr Mitchell was a colourful figure who represented the Great Grimsby seat for 38 years, from 1977 to 2015, after a career in TV during the 1970s.
Mr Mitchell was a colourful figure who represented the Great Grimsby seat for 38 years Credit: PA
He even briefly changed his name to Austin Haddock in 2002 as part of a bid to boost the Lincolnshire town’s fishing industry.
Sir Keir hailed his “big sense of humour” and said: “There are few MPs whose dedication to their constituents would translate into changing their surname to ‘Haddock’ to promote local industry.”
Successor Melanie Onn said he had been “unfailingly supportive” to her.
Bradford-born Mr Mitchell was a well-known reporter and presenter with ITV Yorkshire’s Calendar regional news programme for many years.
His most famous moment as a TV host came in 1974 when he chaired a prickly encounter between the former Leeds United managers Don Revie and Brian Clough.
He is understood to have died at Leeds General Infirmary this morning.
He leaves second wide Linda, who he married in 1976, and four children.
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