IAN Craig, former political editor of the Manchester Evening News and a leading figure in the Westminster lobby, has died at the age of 64.
The respected journalist, who interviewed five prime ministers during his newspaper career, was found dead at his London home.
Ian started his career in journalism as a teenager and worked in Liverpool before he moved to the Manchester Evening News, where he spent the last 25 years of his career.
Former colleagues paid tribute to Ian today.
Jon Smith, Political Editor of the Press Association and a former chairman of the Parliamentary Press Lobby, said: "I knew Ian at Westminster for more than 20 years and he was
always the consummate professional who knew where the stories were and worked hard to get them.
"He was also a personal friend and his death is a great shock to everyone here as he was such a well loved member of the Lobby who always made time to help colleagues, as he did on many occasions."
Former MEN London Editor Ian Wylie said: "Ian was a kind and considerate man who was hugely respected at Westminster. We worked alongside each other for the best part of a quarter of a century and I was also lucky enough to count him as a friend.
"In all that time we never once had a cross word. The number of shocked colleagues paying tribute to him is a mark of what a lovely man he was."
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My friend and lobby colleague Ian was a lovely man of integrity and of a big heart. He was one of the Westminster press gallery grandees and a very good reporter who could smell a story a mile away or trace it from a couple of words buried deep in a Politician’s speech or in a report. He always managed to get to the source of news and his column was informative and interesting. But on the personal level he was a good friend and a nice friendly company. He will be terribly missed, especially in the press bar where we congregated at certain sacred times before lunch, and following the afternoon lobby briefing. The press bar felt empty and sad yesterday afternoon, with one of us missing. Goodbye my friend Ian, we miss you already.
Adel Darwish
Political Editor (IC Publications & Middle East News)
Ian will be sorely missed in Parliament - he was a great guy- and his sudden death comes as a big shock to everyone in the lobby. I always enjoyed chatting with him and he was incredibly friendly to everyone. He had a great nose for news and kept well abreast of everything happening in Westminster.
David Hencke, chairman of the press gallery
Ian came into my life as a colleague, but leaves it as a great and true friend. Never one to miss an opportunity to tell me I looked pretty, or that he liked my jacket, he was also fiercely intelligent, very knowledgeable and a fabulous teller of stories - all of them true! Thinking of him over the weekend, the one thing I kept coming back to was how much I actually learned from him, in subjects as diverse as the political history of Cyprus or him telling me which wine I would prefer (and why). He was a lovely man and a true gentleman, and he had THE BEST giggle I ever heard! I'm so glad I had the fortune of knowing him, and the privilege of being his friend. Ian, I'm gonna miss you...xx xx xx
Shona Woodfine (Political Assistant to Phil Woolas MP)
Our condolences to Ian's family and friends. He was very much liked here.
Plantation Wharf Management Ltd and Plantation Wharf Security
Ian, i only met you very recently in the House of Lords, and was truly shocked to hear the sad news from Kolly and Ian on Wednesday. You were the kind of genuinely caring person who i could speak to for hours on end, and it is a sad loss to the World when men like you pass to the other side. I will truly miss our chats.
Take care sir, rest in peace
John-Paul Greenock
31.10.09