MP who championed disabled dies at 84

LABOUR peer Lord Morris of Manchester, a pioneer of disabled rights legislation, has died at the age of 84.

As Alf Morris, he was MP for Manchester Wythenshawe from 1964 to 1997 and became a frontbench spokesman on disabled issues in 1970 then the first minister for the disabled from 1974.

He is especially remembered for promoting the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970. He was created a life peer in 1997 and was an active backbencher until his death at the weekend.

Baroness Royall, Labour leader in the Lords, said: “I was deeply saddened to learn of the death of Lord Morris. With his Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 he transformed the lives of millions.”