Former Camden Cllr Ken Hulme, who has died aged 62, was a charismatic campaigner whose winning personality helped paper over the cracks in the 1980s Labour Party.

When Mr Hulme, who died on February 3, was elected to the Holborn seat in 1986 the Camden Labour party was wracked by bitter divisions.

Mr Hulme was a “large, loud” character who colleagues found impossible to ignore, according to former Cavendish Cllr Gareth Smyth.

“People really did like Ken,” he said. “He was a very charming man and could make people laugh. He used to use that ability to diffuse situations, but he was never afraid to make unpopular decisions.”

Before joining the Labour Party, Mr Hulme displayed some communist tendencies in leading the Chile Solidarity Campaign against Augusto Pinochet’s regime.

He also worked for the Greater London Council as an events organiser before it was abolished.

When he joined the council he became chairman of the grants committee and vice chairman of the housing committee.

In 1989 he married wife Hannah, a local government worker at the time, and in 1990 stepped down from his Camden post and moved back to the village of Delph near Oldham where he was born.

He continued his interest in politics becoming vice chairman of Saddleworth Parish Council.

He is survived by wife Hannah and son George.