Ashton-born Dame Margaret Beckett has announced she is to retire from politics almost 50 years after first being elected as an MP.

She was born Margaret Jackson in Ashton in 1943 into the family of a Congregationalist carpenter father and Irish Catholic teacher mother.

She was first elected as an MP for Lincoln in 1974, but later lost her seat. But she later stood for Derby South in 1983 and has represented the constituency ever since.

She is the longest serving female MP and the only sitting MP to have served in the Labour governments of the 1970s and remains the only sitting MP to have served as a minister and junior minister under the last four Labour prime ministers.

Her long and illustrious career saw her become the first woman to hold the role of Deputy Leader of the Labour Party in 1992 - and now the role held by Ashton MP Angela Rayner.

When Labour leader John Smith died in 1994, she became the first female ‘acting’ leader of the Labour Party although Tony Blair was ultimately elected to the position.

She went on to serve in his Cabinet however and became the country’s first female Foreign Secretary. 

She was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2013 New Year Honours for public and political service.

However, she announced her decision to retire at a local Labour Party constituency meeting on Friday.

Ashton MP Angela said: “Dame Margaret dedicated so many years to public service and to better politics. She is an incredible woman, a trailblazer and has been a huge inspiration to me and to so many others I’m sure.

“Margaret embodies the true spirit of girl power and I am so proud to represent the place where she was born as MP. 

“She became Britain’s first female Foreign Secretary in 2006 and served as Leader of the Opposition following John Smith’s death. 

“Margaret holds the record for the female MP with the longest service overall and is the only sitting MP who served in the Labour governments of the 1970s. A phenomenal record that she should be incredibly proud of.

“Margaret will be sadly missed on the Labour benches and will leave huge shoes to fill. I wish her the very best and hope she has a wonderful, relaxing retirement with her lovely family.”

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer also hailed Mrs Beckett, calling her a ‘trailblazer.’

Read more from the Tameside Reporter

Click here for more of the latest news

Click here to read the latest edition of the paper online

Click here to find out where you can pick up a copy of the paper