Former British finance minister Alistair Darling dead at 70

Former British finance minister Alistair Darling, a key power broker in Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Labour government, has been reported dead. He was 70.

Though Darling held a variety of posts during his 28 years in the House of Commons, he is likely to be remembered most for his work in steering the nation’s finances during the global credit crunch. The package of measures he implemented were credited with preventing an even more dramatic slide after the crisis threatened the nation’s banking system.

"Alistair will be remembered as a statesman of unimpeachable integrity whose life was defined by a strong sense of social justice and who gained a global reputation for the assured competence and the exercise of considered judgment he brought to the handling of economic affairs," Brown said.