Blair pays tribute to Labour stalwart Dick

May 3 2007

TONY Blair has paid tribute to Sir Dick Knowles, the former leader of Birmingham City Council who celebrates his 90th birthday this month.

The Prime Minister said he had helped turn Birmingham into a thriving European city.

Mr Blair was responding to comments from MP Gisela Stuart (Lab, Edgbaston), who told the House of Commons Sir Dick had transformed Birmingham.

But Ms Stuart criticised the city council's current leader, Conservative Coun Mike Whitby.

Ms Stuart said: "On May 20, a constituent of mine, Richard Knowles, will celebrate his 90th birthday."

"As Labour leader of Birmingham from 1984 to 1993, Sir Dick changed the face of the city," she said.

She asked the Prime Minister: "Will he share my hope that the weak and indecisive leadership we are currently experiencing in Birmingham will soon come to an end?"

Mr Blair said shared Ms Stuart's admiration for Sir Dick, adding: "He is somebody who did an immense amount for Birmingham.

"One of the reasons Birmingham is such a vibrant and thriving European city is because of the work Dick Knowles did."