Joe Haines, political journalist and press secretary to former Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson, has died aged 97, A Labour spokesman has confirmed. Haines joined Wilson's Downing Street operation in 1969 during his first term in office and went on to become part of the Labour leader's "kitchen cabinet" of close political advisers.

Son of a Rotherhithe docker, he worked for the late Labour prime minister in the 60s and 70s

Joe Haines, the press secretary to former Prime Minister and Huyton MP Harold Wilson, has died aged 97. "Lifelong Labour supporter" Mr Haines died at his home in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, on Wednesday, the political party said.

Joe Haines, who has died aged 97, was Harold Wilson’s press secretary from 1969 to 1976, the first partisan news manager at No 10 and thus a figure of controversy. He was later political editor of Mirror Group Newspapers under Robert Maxwell.