Britain: Queen Elizabeth has bee leading British tributes to the Pope, writes Frank Millar in London.
British prime minister Tony Blair will delay announcing the date of the British general election for 24 hours as a mark of respect for Pope John Paul II.
Mr Blair had been expected to make the traditional journey to Buckingham Palace this morning for an audience with Queen Elizabeth to request the dissolution of parliament in preparation for a May 5th poll. Instead, Mr Blair will attend vespers at Westminster Cathedral this evening. The Downing Street announcement came as the Queen Elizabeth led British tributes yesterday and while millions of Catholics attended special services across England, Scotland and Wales to mourn the passing and celebrate the life of the "Pilgrim Pope".
Expressing her "deep sorrow" to the Holy See, the queen said the Pope would be remembered best as a peacemaker, a theme echoed by Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, who spoke of "fond and special memories" of the Pope whom he met in Rome and Britain.
Mr Blair led the tributes from Britain's political leaders as scheduled pre-election campaigning was also suspended for the day. Confirming that the prime minister would not be seeing the queen today, aides said Mr Blair had decided the timing of the election news would not be appropriate.
It is understood he hopes to attend Pope John Paul's funeral, while it is thought contingencies have been put in place should the funeral coincide with Friday's royal marriage of Prince Charles to Mrs Camilla Parker Bowles. The queen will also be represented at the funeral as head of state.
In its statement Buckingham Palace said: "The queen has conveyed to the Holy See her deep sorrow on receiving the news of the death of his Holiness Pope John Paul II. Her majesty remembers his untiring efforts in promoting peace and goodwill throughout the world. The queen also remembers well the work of Pope John Paul II for Christian unity including closer ties between the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches, and in particular his Holiness's visit to Britain in 1982 - the first ever papal visit." Prince Charles said: "He will be long remembered for his tireless efforts to promote world peace and for his great warmth of personality."
Mr Blair - whose wife Cheri wrote movingly of their family's visit to the Vatican in 2003 - said the world had lost a leader who was "revered by people of all faiths and none... an inspiration, a man of extraordinary faith, dignity and courage".
The prime minister said the Pope was "a remarkable man" who stood throughout his life for social justice and against repression. "Throughout a hard and often difficult life, he stood for social justice and on the side of the oppressed, whether as a young man facing the Nazi occupation in Poland or, later, in challenging the communist regime." Former prime minister Baroness Thatcher said the Pope had been "the moral force" behind victory in the Cold War.
"We should remember Pope John Paul II not just as the greatest Pope of modern times but also as a valiant fighter for the truth," said Lady Thatcher: "His life was a long struggle against the lies employed to excuse evil. By combating the falsehoods of communism and proclaiming the true dignity of the individual, his was the moral force behind victory in the Cold War. Millions owe him their freedom and self-respect."
Conservative leader Michael Howard said: "In a world of change and uncertainty, people saw him as a rock: steadfast in support of freedom, unswerving in opposition to totalitarianism, robust in defence of Christian values."