Mary Wilson, widow of former Labour PM Harold Wilson, dies aged 102 after stroke
THE WIDOW of former Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson has died, age 102, in St Thomas’ Hospital, London, following a stroke.
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Lady Wilson of Rievaulx was the oldest surviving Prime Ministerial spouse.
Current Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has paid tribute to the “wonderful poet”.
He tweeted on Thursday morning: “Sad to hear of the death of Mary Wilson.
“A wonderful poet and a huge support in Harold’s General Election victories.
“I send my condolences to her family and friends.”
Lady Wilson, born Gladys Mary Baldwin in Norfolk, 1916, was an accomplished poet.
Her first volume of poetry, Selected Poems, were published in 1970, and sold 75,000 copies.
Lady Wilson met her future husband at a tennis club in Cheshire.
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Harold Wilson was Prime Minister twice, firstly between 1964 and 1970, when he lost out to Edward Heath, before being re-elected to serve in 1974
He resigned from the post in 1976.
He had been the leader of the Labour Party since 1963.
During his second term, he held the UK’s first referendum on EU membership.
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Lady Wilson opposed Britain’s entry to the ‘European Community’, as it was then known, in opposition to her husband.
She also disagreed with her husband on nuclear disarmament, for which she had voiced her support.
After her husband’s death in 1995, she continued to live in Westminster.
She is survived by two sons, Robin and Giles.