Former culture secretary Baroness Jowell dies at the age of 70

Baroness Jowell, who died on Saturday, was culture secretary in the Labour government when the Gambling Act 2005 - that liberalised gambling laws - was introduced.

The death at the age of 70 of one of the architects of Britain's modern betting landscape comes on the eve of the result of the government’s review into maximum stakes on gaming machines. Jowell in recent years allied herself to opponents of the machines.

Jowell was a popular figure in parliament who played a major role in securing the 2012 Olympics for London when she led the culture department. She was secretary of state for Culture, Media and Sport from 2001 to 2007.

In 2012 she was made Dame Tessa Jowell in the Queen's Birthday Honours for political and charitable services, which were largely in recognition of her work on the Olympics.

Three years later, after stepping down from the Commons at the 2015 general election, she was made Baroness Jowell of Brixton.

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