Khabra, from the Punjab in India, had been undergoing treatment for liver problems at Hammersmith Hospital in west London.

A member of parliament's lower House of Commons in the governing Labour Party, he represented Ealing Southall, a west London constituency with a large South Asian population.

Khabra came to Britain in the 1950s and became one of a small number of people of South Asian origin to have made it into parliament when he was first elected in 1992.

He had previously served in the Indian army and worked as a teacher before becoming involved in Southall community politics through the Indian Workers Association.

"Piara Khabra was a remarkable servant of the people, devoting his life to helping his constituents and providing service to the community," said his parliamentary researcher Julian Bell.

"At an age when most people had long since retired he was still energetically tackling individual and constituency problems. His service and political wisdom will be sadly missed."