Funeral service for Michael Foot (From Swindon Advertiser)

Funeral service for Michael Foot

4:38am Monday 15th March 2010 in National News © Press Association 2011

The funeral service for former Labour leader Michael Foot will be held.

A host of friends and senior politicians are expected to attend the event, which will be held in north London.

Mr Foot, who died earlier this month aged 96, guided the party to a heavy defeat against Margaret Thatcher's Tories at the 1983 general election.

The manifesto he put forward was branded the "longest suicide note in history".

But he was also admired for his maverick nature, brilliant oratory, and unwavering left-wing principles.