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| Union chief Jack Jones dies at 96 | Union chief Jack Jones dies at 96 |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Jack Jones, who led the Transport and General Workers' Union in the 1970s, has died at the age of 96. | Jack Jones, who led the Transport and General Workers' Union in the 1970s, has died at the age of 96. |
| His son Mick said Mr Jones died peacefully in a care home in Peckham, south London, on Tuesday evening. | His son Mick said Mr Jones died peacefully in a care home in Peckham, south London, on Tuesday evening. |
| Mr Jones was born in Liverpool and was general secretary of the TGWU from 1969 to 1978 at a time when it was one of the country's most powerful unions. | Mr Jones was born in Liverpool and was general secretary of the TGWU from 1969 to 1978 at a time when it was one of the country's most powerful unions. |
| Veteran Labour politician Tony Benn described Mr Jones as "one of the finest men" he ever met. | Veteran Labour politician Tony Benn described Mr Jones as "one of the finest men" he ever met. |
| "I feel a real sense of personal bereavement," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. | "I feel a real sense of personal bereavement," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. |
| "Everything he said, he believed. He was bitterly attacked [but] if he was powerful it was only because he represented people." | "Everything he said, he believed. He was bitterly attacked [but] if he was powerful it was only because he represented people." |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme | FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme |
| Former Labour leader, Lord Kinnock, described Mr Jones as a "normal man" who used his life to help others. | Former Labour leader, Lord Kinnock, described Mr Jones as a "normal man" who used his life to help others. |
| "No airs and graces, easily approached, he was strong and he used his strength for its best possible use - that's to help people who either permanently, because of disadvantage, or temporarily, because of illness or age or youth, weren't strong. | "No airs and graces, easily approached, he was strong and he used his strength for its best possible use - that's to help people who either permanently, because of disadvantage, or temporarily, because of illness or age or youth, weren't strong. |
| "That's what he thought the privilege of strength was." | "That's what he thought the privilege of strength was." |
| Mr Jones fought in the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s and served as a Liverpool city councillor between 1936 and 1939. | Mr Jones fought in the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s and served as a Liverpool city councillor between 1936 and 1939. |
| He became a TGWU organiser in Coventry and worked his way up through the union to become general secretary. He was on the Labour Party's policy-forming National Executive Committee from 1964 to 1967. | He became a TGWU organiser in Coventry and worked his way up through the union to become general secretary. He was on the Labour Party's policy-forming National Executive Committee from 1964 to 1967. |
| Mr Jones, who turned down a peerage, continued his campaigning - for pensioners' rights - after retirement from his union post. | Mr Jones, who turned down a peerage, continued his campaigning - for pensioners' rights - after retirement from his union post. |
| 'A fighter' | 'A fighter' |
| Former TUC general secretary Norman Willis said Mr Jones was a "fighter" who would be fondly remembered. | Former TUC general secretary Norman Willis said Mr Jones was a "fighter" who would be fondly remembered. |
| HAVE YOUR SAYPity we don't seem to have the likes of him representing the working classes todayWilliam Clarke, Bournemouth href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=6372&edition=1&ttl=20090422102813">Send us your comments | |
| "I worked with Jack in the T&G and through the TUC for many years. Jack Jones was a great fighter for ordinary people whether they were at work or unemployed or later as pensioners," he said. | "I worked with Jack in the T&G and through the TUC for many years. Jack Jones was a great fighter for ordinary people whether they were at work or unemployed or later as pensioners," he said. |
| "He never forgot the underdog and will be remembered with affection." | "He never forgot the underdog and will be remembered with affection." |
| TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said Mr Jones was a "true giant of the Labour movement". | TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said Mr Jones was a "true giant of the Labour movement". |
| "He was a passionate internationalist showing raw courage on the battlefields of the Spanish Civil War," he said. | "He was a passionate internationalist showing raw courage on the battlefields of the Spanish Civil War," he said. |
| "After his working life as a trade unionist, he became a champion for pensioners, holding ministers to account without fear or favour and urging governments to deliver dignity to the elderly." | "After his working life as a trade unionist, he became a champion for pensioners, holding ministers to account without fear or favour and urging governments to deliver dignity to the elderly." |