The body recovered from the River Wye near Glasbury earlier this week has been formally identified as Labour peer Lord David Lipsey, police have confirmed.

Dyfed-Powys Police said they had received a report concerning the safety of a man who was last seen swimming in the river.

A multi-agency search operation was launched on Monday and a body was recovered on Tuesday.

Police have today (Thursday, July 3) confirmed the man’s identity as Lord Lipsey.

A statement from the police said: “Dyfed-Powys Police received a report concerning the safety of a man who was last seen swimming in the River Wye, Glasbury.

“Following a multi-agency search on July 1, sadly, we can confirm the body of Lord David Lipsey was recovered.

“His next of kin have been informed and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time. They have asked for their privacy to be respected.”

Lord Lipsey, who was made a life peer in 1999, had a long career in politics, journalism and public life.

He was made a life peer as Baron Lipsey of Tooting Bec, in the London Borough of Wandsworth, on July 30 1999, and sat on the Labour benches in the House of Lords.

Locally, he had been a patron of Glasbury Arts Festival and Honorary President of the Sidney Nolan Trust.