Police probe MP's unexplained death

Mar 15 2010

Police are investigating the death of Labour MP Ashok Kumar following the discovery of his body at his home.

As Gordon Brown and Tony Blair led tributes to 53-year-old Dr Kumar, Cleveland Police said they were treating the death as "unexplained".

Staff working for the Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP are believed to have raised the alarm after they were unable to reach him by telephone.

Police said they were called to his address in Canberra Road in Marton, Middlesbrough, at 12.30pm on Monday.

"Officers entered the property and found the body of a man in his 50s. He was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics," a spokesman for the Cleveland force said. "At this stage it is too early to say whether the death is being treated as suspicious and inquiries are ongoing."

A uniformed police officer was stationed on guard outside the home of the single Indian-born MP who was not believed to be unwell.

His death was announced to the Commons by Speaker John Bercow who paid tribute to him as a "most assiduous" MP, who was "much respected" by the House.

The Prime Minister said he was "greatly saddened" by his sudden death. "Ashok was a hard-working constituency MP who took pride in representing the people of Middlesbrough as both a councillor and MP," Mr Brown said. "He was a tenacious campaigner for his constituents and a warm and incredibly generous man. His long-standing campaigns to keep shipbuilding in Teesside were respected by all sides of the House."

Mr Blair, who was a fellow North East MP until he stood down from Parliament in 2007, described his loss was "a genuine tragedy and source of real sadness".

"Ashok was a dedicated and committed local Member of Parliament, representing Middlesbrough with a real passion and determination to serve the community he was from," he said. "As a neighbouring MP I saw first hand his commitment to the North East where the support he received grew year after year.