Tony Blair has led cross-party tributes in the Commons to former Labour Prime Minister Lord Callaghan, who died last week on the eve of his 93rd birthday.

Lord Callaghan died peacefully at his farmhouse in Ringmer, 11 days after the death of his wife Audrey.

Mr Blair praised Lord Callaghan's "decency, honesty and integrity," as MPs returned to Westminster after the Easter recess.

Tory leader Michael Howard said he was "universally respected," adding: "Lord Callaghan had a profound influence on the course of the political life of our nation across the entire latter half of the 20th Century."

Speaker Michael Martin added his tribute, saying Lord Callaghan was kind and helpful to him as a new MP in 1979 - "as he was to all new MPs".

The Prime Minister recalled Lord Callaghan's 42 years as an MP and his record of being the only Member to hold all four great offices of state - Home Secretary, Foreign Secretary, Chancellor and Prime Minister. He said the tributes from political allies and foes alike did not just focus on his remarkable career.

"They talk rightly as much about his personal qualities - about his decency, honesty, integrity, his friendship and loyalty."

Expressing his condolences to the Callaghan family, Mr Blair said: "In Jim Callaghan's case you could not separate his achievements as a politician from his qualities as a man."

Mr Blair spoke of Lord Callaghan's "passion" for spreading the benefits of education.

He added: "Jim Callaghan was also one of the generation who fought in the war and came back determined to build a better, fairer and different Britain - one at peace with our neighbours."

As a junior transport minister after entering Parliament, he was responsible for introducing both zebra crossings and cat's eyes on trunk roads - "lasting achievements of which most junior ministers in any government ... would be envious".

In Opposition, Lord Callaghan proved an "effective performer," showing "calmness under pressure, an easy manner and ability to think quickly," which made him a good performer in the Commons and on television.

The abolition of capital punishment for murder while he was Home Secretary was "an example of his determination to build a more decent and civilised society".

Mr Howard said Lord Callaghan was brave in standing for his own beliefs, adding: "One of his first actions in Government was to resign as parliamentary private secretary over the American Loan Agreement in December 1945.

"And one of his last actions as an active politician was to speak out against unilateral nuclear disarmament at a time when it was far from fashionable in his party to do so."