One of the very few truly honest politicians, she will be sorely missed.
Ms Dunwoody, MP for Crewe and Nantwich since 1974, was well-respected on all sides of the political divide and had a deserved reputation as an independent-minded critic of the Government.
Her daughter, Tamsin, was Assembly Member for Preseli Pembrokeshire between 2003 and 2007 and served as a deputy economic development minister.
Speaking on behalf of the family, Mrs Dunwoody’s son, David, said his mother had been ill for about a week. She had been admitted to hospital and had died on Thursday evening.
He said: “She was a woman who stood up and said what she believed was true and defended those who did not have many people to defend them. And she stood up for her principles. She was a wonderful woman.”
The staunch Labour supporter was born in Fulham in 1930 and came from a politically-active family. Both her grandmothers were suffragettes and her father Morgan Phillips was General Secretary of the Labour Party.
In response to the news Patrick Vessey, Leader of the Libertarian Party said: "It was with some sadness that I heard of the death of Gwyneth Dunwoody, one of the last remaining honest parliamentarians".
"You can't fake honesty, and I'm hoping that the voters in her constituency will recognise that" he said with regard to the impending by-election.
