The Latest Breaking News from Margaret Beckett

Obituary: The charismatic former deputy prime minister, who has died at the age of 86, was known best for punching a member of the electorate and acting as a vital bridge for Tony Blair to reach the unions

The ex-deputy prime minister was a key figure in Tony Blair’s modernisation project – only to later distance himself from his legacy.

Exhaustion and a desire to avoid a spell in opposition are factors in why a large group will stand down at next election

Ninety MPs, including 14 former secretaries of state, have said they will not be standing for re-election in 2024

Top gong comes despite The Independent revealing that the senior Tory used non-dom tax loophole

Author Jilly Cooper and actor Emilia Clarke also honoured

On reflection, David Owen was probably too “leading man handsome” to help the SDP break the mould of British politics. That’s right, I’ve been re-watching old BBC election night broadcasts again. This time, it’s back to the Seventies and Eighties for Ted Heath’s miscalculation, Jim Callaghan’s sunny (albeit misplaced) optimism…

Letters: Stephen Locke, Lawson’s former private secretary, on how rewarding it was to work for him, and Margaret Beckett on his divisive legacy. Plus letters from Mark Hebert, Valerie Gidlow and Greg Quiery

At the general election that year, the number of women in the Commons jumped to (an albeit still tiny) 41. Some talk about the sexism – and the solidarity