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Veteran Labour MP Gwyneth Dunwoody, the longest-serving female MP in Parliament and chair of the transport select committee, has died at the age of 77 (link below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7353743.stm

Public transport and rail in particular have lost a great champion.

I helped with her first election campaign in Clapham South in 1964. The "white heat of technology election".

Hopefully they will find somebody equally as stroppy to chair the transport select committee.

I corresponded with Gwyneth with regards to issues on the TransWilts and a select commitee enquiry that was going on at the time, and found her refreshing - threating each input individually, with respect and without stock answers.  Truely remarkable for someone who had been so long in politics.  I'm sad to read of her passing.

A great politician lost.

She was one of the 'old school' before the doctors of spin and media correctness.

She said what she thought - same cannot be said about the majority of the current crop.

A sad loss to British Politics.

A Lady with true conviction and beliefs which in my mind is a long way from most of the politicians of today

RMT tribute (link below.)
http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2008/04/transport_workers_have_lost_a.html#more

I concur with all the comments below. Having heard her in action in the Transport Select Committee, and read numerous transcripts of same, she certainly didn't suffer fools gladly, and for a politician was refreshingly to the point and honest. She knew her subject too, unlike most. A very sad day for all those interested in transport.