Labour MP For Feltham Alan Keen Dies
Feltham and Heston MP Alan Keen has died at the age of 73, the Labour Party has confirmed.
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Sky News
Feltham and Heston MP Alan Keen has died at the age of 73, the Labour Party has confirmed.

He had been ill with cancer for some time.

He was married to the former MP and ex-junior health minister Ann Keen.

The pair was criticised during the expenses scandal and were regularly dubbed "Mr and Mrs Expenses" by the press.

According to The Daily Telegraph in 2009, they claimed on a central London flat despite having a family home less than 10 miles away.

Despite the negative publicity, Mr Keen was comfortably re-elected by his constituents in 2010 with a majority of almost 5,000. His wife lost her seat.

He served on the culture, media and sport select committee and was particularly interested in sport, chairing the all-party parliamentary football group.

Born in Lewisham in 1937, he grew up near the steelworks of Grangetown close to Middlesbrough in Cleveland.

He joined the army at the age of 22 and then remained in London, working in a range of jobs including tactical scout for Middlesbrough Football Club.

In this role, he tipped former manager Jackie Charlton off about rising stars and helped bring Graeme Souness to the club.

He was a member of Hounslow Borough Council between 1986 and 1990 before standing for election to Parliament.

Party leader Ed Miliband described Mr Keen as a "great friend" and "Labour to his core".

The MP was a "decent, generous man" who was "loyal, passionate about social justice and deeply committed to a fairer society", Mr Miliband said.

The Labour leader added: "A dedicated football fan, Alan continued to play for the parliamentary football team until his illness took hold.

"He was a great believer in the power of sport to help young people from disadvantaged backgrounds make the best of their lives.

"Alan was great friend to me and he will be sorely missed by all."

Former prime minister Gordon Brown also paid tribute to the MP, describing him as "locally popular" and a great fighter for local causes.

"As Alan always said, serving the people of all his communities - Heston, Cranford, Hounslow West, Bedfont, Feltham and Hanworth - was his primary duty, supporting all the different and diverse groups in his constituency," Mr Brown said.

"He held regular advice surgeries and was assiduous and conscientious at all times in speaking up for local needs.

"I salute his bravery in facing cancer - fighting it as long as he could - and he will be remembered as someone who taught us how to fight illness.

"As he acknowledged, the NHS could not have done more to be of help and support," Mr Brown added.

Mr Keen is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter.