Terry Lewis, a former Labour MP known for his strong left-wing views and long-standing Euroscepticism, has died at the age of 90. Lewis represented the Worsley constituency in Greater Manchester from 1983 until his retirement in 2005.

Born in Salford on December 29, 1935, Lewis was the son of Andrew Lewis, a docker, and Mary Redfern. He was educated locally at Mount Carmel School before serving his National Service with the Royal Army Medical Corps. As a young soldier, he was exposed to germ warfare tests at Porton Down, an experience that later informed his support for government compensation for veterans exposed to radiation in nuclear testing during the 1950s.

Lewis began his working life as a power station charge engineer, a role he held from 1960 to 1982, after which he transitioned into personnel work. He joined the Labour Party in 1970 and was elected to Kearsley council the following year. When Kearsley merged into Bolton, he served as deputy leader of the local Labour group and chaired the borough’s education committee.

Lewis entered Parliament after being selected to stand for Worsley following boundary changes in 1983. He succeeded John Roper, a former Labour MP who had defected to the Social Democratic Party. Throughout his parliamentary career, Lewis was known as a dedicated constituency MP and an outspoken critic of policies he viewed as damaging to local communities and public services.

His parliamentary record included opposition to the Iraq War, nuclear weapons, and the Prevention of Terrorism Act. He was also a patron of the League Against Cruel Sports and an active campaigner against foxhunting. Lewis consistently voted against Labour leadership when it pursued policies he opposed, such as cuts to single parents’ benefits, partial privatisation of the National Air Traffic System, and the introduction of student tuition fees.

Lewis was particularly vocal about local concerns, frequently defending Greater Manchester’s interests. He condemned remarks by then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher about regional dialects and strongly opposed her abolition of the Greater Manchester County Council, which he described as a “vendetta against local government and local democracy.”

Despite Labour’s landslide win in 1997, Lewis grew disillusioned with the party under Tony Blair, believing the government continued many Thatcher-era policies. His dissatisfaction culminated in his resignation from Labour in 2010 amid the parliamentary expenses scandal, which he called “an absolute disgrace.” He rejoined the party in 2015 following Jeremy Corbyn’s election as leader, citing their longstanding friendship and shared political perspectives.

Outside politics, Lewis was proud of his British identity, openly expressing his support for veterans and his membership in the British Legion, though he identified as neither a pacifist nor a warmonger. He married Audrey Clarke in 1958, and they had two sons, one of whom survives him.

Terry Lewis passed away on July 20, 2026, leaving behind a legacy as a committed constituency MP and principled left-wing voice within the Labour Party over two decades of public service.