Former Northern Ireland secretary Mo Mowlam (55) is critically ill in a London hospital.
Dr Mowlam suffered a brain tumour for which she secretly underwent radiotherapy in early 1997 while preparing to become Tony Blair's first Northern Ireland secretary following New Labour's landslide election victory in May the same year.
Ms Mowlam's recent appearances had revived fears about her health. And last night London's King's College Hospital described her condition as "critical but stable".
Ms Mowlam was one of the architects of Mr Blair's successful bid for the Labour leadership following the death of the late John Smith, and was for a time considered a leading advocate of the "New Labour" project. However, after her initial success as Stormont supremo - and the high point of the Belfast Agreement in 1998 - Ms Mowlam unsuccessfully resisted her transfer back to London, amid persistent reports that members of Mr Blair's inner circle were "briefing against her".
Having turned down the job of health secretary, she endured a stint at the cabinet office - a post she herself regarded as "Minister for the Today programme" - before quitting parliament altogether in 2001, after 14 years as MP for Redcar.
After retiring Ms Mowlam became increasingly critical of Mr Blair's alleged "presidential" style.