The appearance of Labour stalwart Michael Foot at the Swindon Literature Festival has been recalled following his death.

The former Labour leader was 96 when he died after a long illness on Wednesday in Hampstead, north London.

He was the headline speaker at the town’s first festival and was at the town hall on May 14, 1994.

Matt Holland, who organises the town’s literature festival, said he remembered Mr Foot had a pile of books on the table in front of him and told the sell-out crowd that he would discuss the great English writers such as Jonathan Swift and Daniel Defoe.

He said: “Each time he went to pick up a book, or turn a page, he would distract himself by a new idea and talk about other things. He ranged far and wide in his talk, got good rounds of applause and a few laughs but never got round to saying much about literature.

“It was a memorable night, more for reasons of oratory, politics and ideas than literature.”

Mr Foot joined Labour in the 1930s after working as a journalist. In the 1945 general election he won Plymouth Devonport. Although defeated in the 1955 election he won Ebbw Vale in 1960 and became Labour leader in 1980.

He went on to lead the party through its worst election defeat in 60 years in 1983 but is also remembered for his championing of nuclear disarmament and campaigning against British membership of the European Economic Community in the 1975 referendum.

Coun Derrique Montaut, Labour’s leader in Swindon, said: “The impact he had on Labour Party members is something we’ll never forget and he will be sadly missed. Michael was a nice guy.”

Coun Montaut, who first encountered Mr Foot at many of the trade union rallies in London early in his political career, said: “He had an impact on my development as a young socialist radical. He was a voice of the people and was for people who wouldn’t otherwise have been heard.

“He was an extremely decent person, he went and fought for his principles against all odds.

“He stood on the moral high ground and he certainly taught a new generation of followers to the Labour Party those Labour values.”

Coun Montaut said he understood that Mr Foot had always been in the background on many central issues including the fight to save the railways, to which Swindon was central.

“The fact that he had to go through Swindon to get back to his constituency was a constant reminder.”

South Swindon MP Anne Snelgrove said: “Michael dedicated his life to public service and was responsible for many great things during his time as a minister and as an MP.”

“I would like to send my deepest condolences to his family.”