A Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords, Baroness Ruth Henig, has died aged 80.

Lady Henig was a child of Jewish refugees who came to the UK from the Netherlands in 1940.

She went on to become a history lecturer at Lancaster University, eventually serving as dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities.

Specialising in 20th Century international history, she has written on the origins of the First and Second World War, the Treaty of Versailles and international diplomacy in the 1920s.

She was a Labour councillor on Lancashire County Council for 24 years, including a year as chair, and also stood, albeit unsuccessfully, to be MP for Lancaster in 1992.

Lady Henig also served as chair of the Lancashire Policy Authority from 1995 to 2005 and chair of the Association of Police Authorities from 1997 to 2005, when she became the association’s president.

She was awarded a CBE in 2000 for services to policy and in 2002 was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant for Lancashire.

The mother of two was made a Labour peer in 2004 and served on various committees, eventually being named deputy chair of committees in 2015.

She has been serving as one of the upper chamber’s Deputy Speakers since 2018.

Lady Henig also served as chair of the private security regulator, the Security Industry Authority, from 2007 to 2013.

As well as dedicating her life to public service, Baroness Henig was an accomplished bridge player, representing Lancashire in the game and captaining the House of Lords team.

She was also a passionate Leicester City FC fan.

Current chair Heather Baily, and chief executive Michelle Russell, said: “She was much admired by colleagues and played a key role in driving our focus on greater public protection and better regulation.

“She was praised by the industry for her tireless efforts to build trust and confidence between the regulator and those opportunities with the private security sector.

“Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with her family at this time.”

Lady Henig’s son David Henig said on X, formerly known as Twitter: “With Simon Henig, we’re sad to announce the passing of our mother, Baroness Ruth Henig, Deputy Speaker, daughter of refugees, a life well lived as an academic, author, football fan, walker, beer drinking, bridge player, grandmother, chair in the security industry, music lover.”