Canadian politico dies

The New Democrat party issued a statement on Monday morning, just weeks after a gaunt Layton held a news conference to announce he was fighting a second bout of cancer. The party said Layton died peacefully at 4:45 a.m. ET (0945 GMT) at his Toronto home, surrounded by family and loved ones.

Layton was at the height of his political career after the union-backed party took Canadians by surprise during the May federal election by winning official opposition status for the first time in its 50-year history.

He began the campaign just five weeks after recovering from a hip surgery unrelated to cancer. He carried a cane throughout. His health became an issue at start of the campaign, but Layton looked healthy and energised as the campaign progressed.