The Northern Ireland secretary has received the accolade of a House Award, sponsored by Westminster's House Magazine, where MPs voted who among their number has contributed the most to a major political initiative.

Dr Mowlam also won the Channel 4 News award, decided by viewers to the show, beating off competition from the Prime Minister Tony Blair, Tory leader William Hague and Shadow Health Secretary Ann Widdecombe.

Presenting Dr Mowlam with that award via a satellite TV link from London to Northern Ireland, Commons Speaker Betty Boothroyd said she had proved she had "guts", both in her fight against cancer and in her battle for peace in Northern Ireland.

The other winner in the awards ceremony were:

• Speechmaker of the Year: Tony Benn.
• Questioner of the Year: Chris Mullin.
• Peer of the Year: Tory Lord MacKay of Ardbrecknish.
• Rising Star: Labour's Oona King.
• Journalist of the Year: Matthew Parris, of The Times.
• Political Humorist: Rory Bremner.
• Political Book of the Year: The Course of My Life, by Sir Edward Heath.