Tributes paid after death of Labour peer

TRIBUTES have been paid after Lord Tom Sawyer - former Labour general secretary and Teesside University chancellor - died aged 82.

- By NAOMI CORRIGAN

Lord Sawyer was born in Darlington in 1943 and worked in the engineering industry until 1971, when he became a full-time official for National Union for Public Employees and secretary of Darlington Trades Council. He was chairman of the Labour Party in 1991-92 and the party's General Secretary from 1994 to 1998 when he stood down and was made a peer in the House of Lords.

He served in the university post from 2005 to 2017. In a statement, the university said they were deeply saddened to learn of the "much admired, respected and valued" former chancellor.

They said he had an "enduring connection" with the university and was a "vocal champion" of its mission, vision and values. Professor Paul Croney OBE, vice chancellor and chief executive of Teesside University, said: "Lord Sawyer was a great friend to Teesside University, maintaining his close ties with us for many decades, and serving as our Chancellor for over a decade.