British Liberal Democrat Patsy Calton, 56, dies of cancer

June 2, 2005

from, , England, a Liberal Democrat MP for the constituency died at age 56 from cancer on Sunday May 29. The Liberal Democrat party leader described her as a "spirited and courageous" politician.

She was first elected to the Cheadle constituency by the slim margin of 33 votes in the 2001 election. She was then re-elected just 24 days before her death with a greatly increased majority of 4020, in spite of not campaigning herself due to the illness.

She was a staunch supporter of a ban on smoking in enclosed public spaces. Acting as the party's health spokesman, she supported the Bath Liberal Democrats anti-smoking initiatives in the 2004 spring conference.

She is survived by her husband Clive Calton, who worked as her researcher at the House of Commons, and her son and two daughters.