Tony Worthington, the former Labour MP for Clydebank and Milngavie who served as a Northern Ireland minister in the run-up to the Good Friday agreement and was a prominent campaigner for victims of asbestos-related diseases, has died at the age of 84.
Political Career and Northern Ireland Role
Worthington served as an opposition spokesperson under Mo Mowlam and was appointed to her ministerial team when Labour came to power in 1997. With community relations in his portfolio, he earned trust for his calm and reasonable approach. In the early months of the new government, he steered through legislation that formally abolished internment without trial, describing it as "an important statement of political principle." He also oversaw the establishment of the Parades Commission, addressing a contentious issue.
Despite being well-regarded across the political spectrum in Northern Ireland, Worthington was removed in Tony Blair's first ministerial reshuffle in 1998. He then served on the backbenches, focusing on causes he was passionate about.
Campaigning for Asbestos Victims
One of his key campaigns was on behalf of asbestos victims, which began in his Scottish constituency and grew into a national movement. The shipbuilding history of Clydebank had left thousands of workers suffering from asbestos exposure. In 1992, the Clydebank Asbestos Group was formed, becoming a national leader in the fight for recognition and compensation. Worthington contributed to these efforts over many years, securing significant legal changes despite opposition from companies that used asbestos. A particular issue was the recovery of social security payments from compensation, often wiping out the value of successful claims. The group noted that Worthington "was responsible for the recovery of benefits taking on a national profile."
Early Life and Education
Tony Worthington was born on 11 October 1941 in Lemsford, Hertfordshire, to Monica and Malcolm Worthington. He attended the City School in Lincoln and graduated from the London School of Economics before earning a master's degree in education from Glasgow University. He lectured in sociology at HM Borstal, Dover, from 1962 to 1966, then taught in Sunderland, where he joined the Labour Party. In 1971, he moved to Scotland as a lecturer at Jordanhill College of Education. He was elected to Strathclyde regional council in 1974.
Parliamentary Career
When Hugh McCartney retired as MP for Clydebank and Milngavie before the 1987 election, Worthington was narrowly selected as the candidate. He held the seat through four general elections, never falling below 50% of the vote. In 1989, he came second in the private members' ballot and introduced a right of reply bill to create a statutory Press Commission, but it was blocked by the Conservatives.
Worthington joined Labour's frontbench in 1989, covering education and employment in the Scottish Office shadow team. John Smith moved him to overseas development, where he focused on the plight of Somalia, criticizing the West's lack of commitment to relieving famine. In 1994, he was briefly detained by rebels in Somalia alongside Conservative MP Mark Robinson during a fact-finding mission, drawing the ire of Labour whips. He resigned but was reinstated by Blair to the Northern Ireland team the following year.
Later Life and Legacy
After leaving government, he chaired the all-party parliamentary group on overseas development from 2000 and retired from the Commons in 2005. He continued as an international development consultant, stating, "I went to work full-time on what I am thinking about full-time – the fulfilment of the millennium development goals and the ending of world poverty."
In recent years, he suffered from vascular dementia but embraced it as a campaigning challenge. Involvement with Alzheimer Scotland allowed him to "play a part as Tony the former MP, not just Tony the person who has dementia."
Tony Worthington married Angela Oliver in 1966. She survives him, along with their son, daughter, and three grandchildren. He died on 20 April 2026.
