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Lord Taylor of Blackburn has died after being knocked off his mobility scooter outside of Parliament a week ago. He was 87.
The Labour peer’s death was confirmed by a party spokesman.
The Labour leader in the Lords, Baroness Smith of Basildon, said: “Tom Taylor had a lifelong commitment to the Labour Party, through both local government and Parliament, and was held in high regard and with great affection by his party colleagues.
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“Tom was a committed member of the House of Lords right through to the tragic circumstances which led to his death. We in the Labour peers group are very sad and will miss him dearly.”
Thomas Taylor was the leader of Blackburn Town Council from 1972 to 1976. He became a life peer in 1978, becoming Baron Taylor of Blackburn.
In 2009 he was filmed boasting of being able to earn £100,000 per year from his work for companies as part of a cash-for-influence undercover sting by the Sunday Times . He denied allegations made against him by the paper but was suspended from Parliament for six months, the first time such action has been taken since the 17th century.
He is survived by his son.
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