BLACKBURN MP Jack Straw has paid tribute to former Labour leader Michael Foot, who has died today aged 96.

Mr Foot died shortly before 7am at his home in Hampstead, north London.

He had been ill for some time with fading health and had been receiving 24-hour care.

Mr Straw, the Justice Secretary, broke the news to MPs in Parliament and added: "I am sure that this news will be received with great sadness not only in my own party but across the country as a whole."

He said: "He was held in very great affection in all sections of the House and across the country.

"Those of us who knew Michael Foot well, have a great many memories of him.

"I simply say that I have one particular memory of Michael Foot - I was a new backbencher sitting on one of the benches over there in November 1980 and there was a run-off competition between Denis Healey and Michael Foot for the leadership of the Labour party."

The Justice Secretary told of how Mr Foot had made a speech which "suggested to me that he had a line into the Almighty".

Mr Straw said: "I witnessed this speech and so did the rest of us with the same incredulity that I witnessed the imagination behind a Mozart concerto.

"He just held the House, he'd got no notes, just a couple of newspaper cuttings."

Former Burnley MP Peter Pike also paid tribute to Mr Foot. Mr Pike called Mr Foot, who became party leader in 1980, a ‘great orator and a true socialist’.

Mr Foot would be remembered in Burnley for addressing an anti-poll tax rally, added Mr Pike.