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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Ex-Swansea MP Alan Williams dies | Ex-Swansea MP Alan Williams dies |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The former Swansea Labour MP Alan Williams has died at the age of 84. | The former Swansea Labour MP Alan Williams has died at the age of 84. |
| He was elected to the House of Commons in 1964 and served as MP for Swansea West for 46 years, including when Swansea achieved city status in 1969. | He was elected to the House of Commons in 1964 and served as MP for Swansea West for 46 years, including when Swansea achieved city status in 1969. |
| Mr Williams stood down at the 2010 election. At the time he was the MP with the longest continuous service in the House of Commons, earning him the title of Father of the House. | Mr Williams stood down at the 2010 election. At the time he was the MP with the longest continuous service in the House of Commons, earning him the title of Father of the House. |
| Politicians have paid tribute to a "strong champion for Swansea". | Politicians have paid tribute to a "strong champion for Swansea". |
| Fellow Labour MP Geraint Davies, who succeeded Mr Williams, said he died on Sunday night. | Fellow Labour MP Geraint Davies, who succeeded Mr Williams, said he died on Sunday night. |
| 'Great Parliamentarian' | 'Great Parliamentarian' |
| He said the former MP would be "dearly missed" by friends, family and the "countless people he helped over many years in Swansea". | He said the former MP would be "dearly missed" by friends, family and the "countless people he helped over many years in Swansea". |
| "Alan Williams was a good friend for 18 years - a wise counsel and strong champion for Swansea for nearly half a century," Mr Davies said. | "Alan Williams was a good friend for 18 years - a wise counsel and strong champion for Swansea for nearly half a century," Mr Davies said. |
| "He served under prime ministers from Labour's Harold Wilson and Jim Callaghan, the Conservatives' Margaret Thatcher and John Major and then Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. | "He served under prime ministers from Labour's Harold Wilson and Jim Callaghan, the Conservatives' Margaret Thatcher and John Major and then Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. |
| "He was a great Parliamentarian who knew where all the skeletons lay and was a great cross-examiner. He was particularly ferocious in select committees but also a kindly and private man." | "He was a great Parliamentarian who knew where all the skeletons lay and was a great cross-examiner. He was particularly ferocious in select committees but also a kindly and private man." |
| 'Highly respected' | 'Highly respected' |
| Swansea East AM and former leader of Swansea council, Mike Hedges, also paid tribute to Mr Williams, a married father of three. | |
| He said: "Alan Williams was an excellent and very hard working constituency MP who always put Swansea first. | He said: "Alan Williams was an excellent and very hard working constituency MP who always put Swansea first. |
| "He will be sadly missed by the people of the city". | "He will be sadly missed by the people of the city". |
| Peter Hain, the Neath MP and former Secretary of State for Wales, said: "Alan was a supreme House of Commons man, diligent, questioning, challenging, always on top of the issues. | Peter Hain, the Neath MP and former Secretary of State for Wales, said: "Alan was a supreme House of Commons man, diligent, questioning, challenging, always on top of the issues. |
| "He was highly respected across all political parties and I was indebted to him for his wise counsel even when we did not agree - for instance he was a critic of devolution where I was a big advocate." | "He was highly respected across all political parties and I was indebted to him for his wise counsel even when we did not agree - for instance he was a critic of devolution where I was a big advocate." |
| The son of a coal miner, Mr Williams was born in Caerphilly in 1930 and attended Cardiff High School for Boys before later studying at the Cardiff College of Technology and Commerce and University College, Oxford. | |
| He was a lecturer and journalist before entering politics, where he held numerous roles, including shadow Welsh secretary. |