An MP broke down in tears today as she spoke of her ‘admiration’ for Tessa Jowell and her cancer battle as the former minister watched on.
Siobhan McDonagh wept as she told of her regret at having fallen out with Baroness Jowell and told her ‘we are with you’.
The Labour MP for Mitcham and Morden became overcome with emotion as she joined the many MPs paying tribute to the ex minister’s campaign to improve cancer care.
Baroness Jowell sat at the back of the Chamber with her husband David, son Mathew and daughter Jess watching on as the comments were made.
In a note read out in the debate she said it was the ‘honour of my life’ to be an MP and added: ‘So remember our battle cry – living with not dying of cancer, for more people, for longer.’
Earlier, Ms McDonagh sobbed as she stood up to pay tribute to the work done by her Lady Jowell.
Siobhan McDonagh (pictured in the Commons today) wept as she told of her regret at having fallen out with Baroness Jowell and told her ‘we are with you’
Baroness Tessa Jowell (pictured in Parliament today with Labour MP Sarah Jones and Tory former minister James Brokenshire) made an emotional return to the Commons today to hear MPs across the political divide praise the ‘bravery’ and courage of her battle against cancer
The Labour former minister (pictured in Parliament today with the Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt) who has been diagnosed with a brain tumour, has taken up the fight to radically improve care for cancer patients in Britain
Baroness Jowell smiled at the back of the Commons chamber as she listened to the tributes being paid to her – and the pledge by MPs to do more to improve cancer care
She said: ‘My purpose of speaking is to simply say to Tessa we are with you.
‘You know, politics is a rough old trade and sometimes you fall out with people –people you think the most of.
‘And I just wanted to be here to say with Tessa whatever arguments or disagreements it counts for nothing in comparison with my admiration and determination to do anything I can to help her in her campaign.’
She added: ‘Sometimes we fall out, and we fall out harder with our own side – but I just want to say Tessa is extraordinary.’
The MP did not say what had happened to prompt her falling out with Baroness Jowell.
The Labour peer made an emotional return to the House of Commons to hear MPs across the political divide praise the ‘bravery’ and courage of her battle against cancer.
The Labour former minister, who has been diagnosed with a brain tumour, has taken up the fight to radically improve care for cancer patients in Britain.
In January she brought her fellow peers to tears and received the first ever standing ovation in the House of Lords as she told of her diagnosis and fight to improve care.
And today ministers joined backbenchers to pay tribute to Lady Jowell – who mastermind behind Britain’s 2012 Olympics bid – in a special parliamentary debate.
In a note readout by Labour MP Sarah Jones at the end of the debate, Lady Jowell said: ‘Living with cancer has taught me so much.
‘I’ve been so lucky to be surrounded by such love from family, friends and fellow cancer patients.
‘Today hearing so many of you talk about your own fights reminds me why I love this Palace of Westminster and the people who work here.
‘It was a brilliant member of this House who spent far too short a time here who said “We have far more in common than that which divides us” and today shows how much we can do when we all put our shoulders to the wheel.
‘It was the honour of my life to be one of you and I shall cheer on from the sidelines as you keep fighting the good fight.
‘So remember our battle cry – living with not dying of cancer, for more people, for longer.’
In a powerful debate in Parliament, Conservative, Labour and SNP MPs alike united to heap praise on Lady Jowell.
Tory MP James Brokenshire, who has recently returned to Parliament after having surgery to remove a tumour from his lung, was among those who took to their feet.
Lady Jowell (pictured at the back of the Commons today) was sat on the green benches at the back of the Commons chamber accompanied with her family (from R to L: Baroness Jowell, her husband David Mill, her son Matthew Mills, her daughter Jess Mills, Jess Mills’ boyfriend Tom, Labour researcher Liam Conlon and Labour peer Lord Charlie Faulkner) to hear the tributes being paid to her
Tory former minister James Brokenshire (pictured, left, in the Commons today) and the Commons Speaker John Bercow (pictured, right, in the Commons today) both paid tribute to the Labour politician during the emotional debate
Mr Brokenshire said he was moved by Lady Jowell’s emotional speech in the House of Lords in January.
He said: ‘The timing touched a particular chord with me as I had my own surgery to remove a tumour from my lung.
‘It was, I think, a brave, humbling and inspiring speech in equal measure.
‘Her very personal description of her brain tumour and the impact it has had on her, her call to action to secure more funding for brain tumour research, the need for more effective clinical trials and the joining up of analysis and data.
‘But fundamentally a profound message of hope that shone through in Tessa’s words; hope for the future and her unstinting passion to secure positive change for the benefits of others.
‘Hope in the face of her own physical adversity.’
He said the former minister has an ‘inspirational and profound message’ that she is taking to the country.
And he said her campaign to improve care will bring ‘hope for the future’ of cancer care.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: ‘Most people come to this place hoping to leave a legacy; she has left not just one legacy, but two.
‘Her amazing achievements with London 2012 and her amazing campaigning on cancer.
‘It’s our privilege to take part in this debate and our duty to act on what she’s saying.’
Labour MP Ms Jones, who used to work with Lady Jowell and secured the debate, said: ‘She has thrown herself into the campaign for people to live longer lives with cancer with exactly the same relentlessly optimistic and total bloody doggedness as she did the Olympics.
‘When faced with this woman who walks through walls and never gives up and always gets what she wants you could almost feel sorry for cancer.’
Labour’s shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: ‘Tessa Jowell is an inspiration to all of us and on behalf of the shadow cabinet we pay tribute to her today.
‘I hope all members of the House find her bravery extraordinary, she has achieved so much and I just wanted to put on record that we will work constructively with Government to implement many of the recommendations that (Sarah Jones MP) is outlining.’
The debate began with Commons Speaker John Bercow paying a powerful tribute to Lady Jowell.
Labour MP Sarah Jones (pictured standing up) who secured the debate on cancer treatment spent a large part of her speech paying tribute to Lady Jowell and her work advancing the field.
He said: ‘It’s my honour, privilege and joy to welcome Baroness Jowell, Tessa Jowell, together with David, together with Matthew, together with Jess and others, to the under gallery in what will be an extremely powerful and I hope constructive debate.
‘Can I say to you, Tessa, and I say it on behalf I’m sure of all colleagues, I hope you will feel fortified and inspired by the warm embrace of parliamentary love which you’re about to experience.’
In an emotional debate, many MPs took to their feet to tell of their own experience of cancer – and the lives it has claimed.
Heidi Alexander, Labour MP for Lewisham East, looked emotional as she told how her father-in-law was told he had cancer alone, in a hospital bed ‘with only a mobile phone for company’.
She added: ‘There is no excuse. He had struggled to get an appointment after he was passed from pillar to post – not helped by the fact he did not want to make a fuss.
‘The delay in his diagnosis and the way in which his diagnosis was delivered was unacceptable. He died six days before the General Election last year.’
She said the country must do more to improve cancer care.
Lady Jowell is waging a campaign to improve cancer care and loosen rules to allow patents to volunteer for multiple cancer trials.
She had helped secure millions of pounds of extra funding from Government for cancer treatment.