PRIME Minister Tony Blair has vowed to overturn a Lord's ruling which threatened to rob thousands of Swindon workers of compensation payouts for asbestos-related cancer.

Mr Blair's promise comes as the Advertiser can reveal that mesothelioma, an aggressive form of lung cancer dubbed the Swindon Disease killed 105 people in Swindon between 1981 and 2000. Ten victims were women and 95 were men.

Yesterday in Westminster, North Swindon MP Michael Wills pushed the Government to overturn a controversial Lords ruling last month, which would drastically reduce payments to mesothelioma victims and their families in cases involving several employers, none of which can be blamed specifically for the onset of the fatal illness.

Mr Wills' debate was overshadowed by Mr Blair's revelation, but the Swindon Labour MP said the most important thing was to get the desired result.

He said: "The judgment angered so many people and MPs and something had to be done about it. I have constituents that are affected and I will never forget some of the letters that have been sent to me about cases.

"The decision by the Lords is cruel and unjust. Where science is blind, uncertainty exists. How can people prove where they contracted the disease from if they worked for more than one employer?

"The last person that should be responsible for proving it is the most vulnerable is the victim.

"What is the point of being a politician if you cannot change things like this, something which affects so many people?

"I have been reassured that something is going to be done about this ruling."

And Brigitte Chandler, one of the country's top legal experts on asbestos-related diseases, is thrilled at the announcement.

Mrs Chandler, of Swindon law firm Charles, Lucas and Marshall solicitors, said: "I am delighted to hear this. Many of my clients have written to their MP and they have listened to them.

"It is going to make a big difference to many people's lives.

"People could have lost up to £100,000 in damages and this money would be used to replace loss of earnings, loss of pensions and so forth.

"This announcement is not a windfall for people, it is money that they genuinely need."

Mrs Chandler is now optimistic that the ruling will be overturned.

When making his announcement, Mr Blair said: "I regret the decision.

"We are looking at the moment to see the best opportunity for us to change it and if we possibly can change it we hope we will be able to announce something in the next couple of weeks."

The Prime Minister is believed to want to change the law so that all former employers are classed as sharing overall joint responsibility, allowing full compensation packages.

He could introduce safeguards for workers into the Compensation Bill, currently going through Parliament, or a Bill to be unveiled later this year by the Department for Work and Pensions.

Around 2,000 people currently die from mesothelioma each year.

That figure is expected to rise to 2,500 when it peaks in 2015.

Moneyisvital

FORMER railway worker David Haines worked with deadly asbestos for 21 years.

He scraped the now outlawed substance from train boilers and would even go home covered in its toxic dust, unaware of its potential side effects.

In March he supported the campaign for action on what has been dubbed the Swindon Disease mesothelioma.

Mr Haines, of Purton, was outraged when he found out families may not get compensation payouts.

He said: "This money is vital for people.

"I'm really pleased now that we have seen something done and that people will get the damages they are entitled to."

He added: "I do think though that it is the sufferers who often need this money when they first get ill. The money would help them get the best possible treatment available."

Victor Ing, who worked on the railways for 49 years, was diagnosed with asbestosis three years ago. He was awarded a substantial sum in compensation last year. "I think this is the right decision," he said.

Paymentagreed

THE family of a Swindon railway worker has just been told that British Rail, now known as BRB (Residuary) Limited, will pay them damages for exposing him to asbestos.

Douglas Newman died on December 18 2003 from mesothelioma.

Between September 10 1933 and December 13 1940 and between January 29 1944 and October 3 1960, Mr Newman was employed at British Rail's Swindon Works.

He worked as a youth labourer, apprentice boiler maker, patcher and boilersmith.

His illness, mesothelioma, was not diagnosed until after his death and his two daughters will receive a sum of £53,000 plus payment of their legal costs.

Brigitte Chandler, a lawyer at Charles Lucas & Marshall secured the compensation for the family.

Mr Newman, from Gloucester, was a widower and had two daughters and six grandchildren.