Sir Keir described the late pontiff as “a pope for the poor, the downtrodden and the forgotten”.
A senior Vatican official announced Francis died on Monday morning at the age of 88.
Francis had been ill with pneumonia, and only recently resumed some official duties during his recovery.
Pope Francis appeared on the central lodge of St Peter’s Basilica to bestow the Urbi et Orbi blessing on Easter Sunday (Gregorio Borgia/AP)
He emerged from his convalescence on Easter Sunday to bless the thousands of people in St Peter’s Square in Vatican City.
Sir Keir Starmer said Pope Francis was ‘a pope for the poor, the downtrodden and the forgotten’ (Peter Byrne/PA)
The Prime Minister joined other world leaders in paying tribute to him, saying: “I join millions around the world in grieving the death of His Holiness Pope Francis.
“His leadership in a complex and challenging time for the world and the church was courageous, yet always came from a place of deep humility.
“Pope Francis was a pope for the poor, the downtrodden and the forgotten. He was close to the realities of human fragility, meeting Christians around the world facing war, famine, persecution and poverty. Yet he never lost hope of a better world.
“That hope was as the heart of his papacy. His determination to visibly live out his faith inspired people across the world to see afresh the church’s teachings of mercy and charity.
“With his death, we are reminded once m...
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