Actor Tony Booth, father-in-law of Tony Blair, dies at 85

LONDON – British actor Tony Booth, the father-in-law of former Prime Minister Tony Blair, has died at 85.

Booth's family says he died late Monday. He had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease and heart problems.

Booth had his most enduring role as the left-wing son of a bigoted father in the sitcom "Till Death Us Do Part." The show ran for almost a decade from 1966 and inspired the American series "All in the Family."

Booth gained a second bout of fame when Blair, husband of his daughter Cherie, became prime minister in 1997.

The left-wing Booth often disagreed publicly with Blair, the architect of the Labour Party's move to the center as "New Labour."

Booth is survived by wife Steph Booth and children including Cherie Blair, a prominent lawyer.