The wife of former Labour MP for Kemptown has died at 74.

Lynn Turner drowned while swimming in the sea on holiday in France with her husband Des Turner.

She was born on August 3, 1943, in Purley, where she later attended a private girls’ school.

Mrs Turner, a graphics designer, was a staunch member of the Labour Party in Brighton – she belonged to the party for 50 years.

She retired from her job ten years ago.

The Turners were married in Brighton and held their reception at the race course.

Although she did not work officially for her husband, she gave him long and loyal support.

Des Turner, a scientist, was a long-serving councillor before winning Brighton Kemptown from Tory MP Sir Andrew Bowden at the 1997 general election.

A hard working constituency MP, he retired in 2010.

He said: “We met in the early 1980s through the Labour Party. We got married in 1987.

“She was a dedicated member of the Labour Party, she was a member for 50 years.

“She was very involved in the party and participated in a lot of events.

“Lynn supported me throughout my political career. She was a very lovely, bubbly, smiley and warm person.

“My first impression of her was she was very attractive.

“It was very sudden when she died.

“She had a heart attack and drowned.

“No one was aware that she had a heart condition before she passed away.”

Des said Lynn was a very active member of the community and one of her main passions was education.

He said: “She was a school governor for Queen’s Park Primary School and St Luke’s School for 20 years.

“She also ran as a local council candidate in the mid-1980s for the Regency ward.

“She was very interested in politics. In her youth she had communist ideologies and enjoyed folk singing.

“Her first husband’s father was in the Communist Party. We did not have any children together but she had children from her previous marriage.

“Lynn really doted on her grandchildren and she spent a lot of time with them.”

Lynn’s former work colleague said: “She was the kindest of people and no one had a bad word to say about her.”