LONDON - Leading political figures in Britain paid tribute Saturday to Kofi Annan following the announcement of his death in Switzerland at the age of 80.

British Prime Minister Theresa May said she was saddened to hear of Annan's death. In her tribute May said: "A great leader and reformer of the UN, he made a huge contribution to making the world he has left a better place than the one he was born into. My thoughts and condolences are with his family."

Britain's foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt described Annan as a statesman and champion of peace.

Former British prime minister Tony Blair who clashed with Annan over the Iraq war said Annan was a true statesman. "Kofi Annan was a great diplomat, a true statesman and a wonderful colleague who was widely respected and will be greatly missed," he said.

In London the Guardian recalled how Annan had used his final speech as secretary general in December 2006 to deliver a parting shot at the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush, accusing the United States of committing human rights abuses in the name of fighting terrorism.

In its report Saturday, the newspaper said: "The Guardian concluded at the time that the speech amounted to a broad condemnation of the neoconservative ideology guiding US foreign policy under Bush and was a clear break with protocol for a departing UN chief. US forces invaded Iraq in March 2003 without the approval of the UN security council."

Annan had said in his speech: "When power, especially military force, is used, the world will consider it legitimate only when convinced that it is being used for the right purpose -- for broadly shared aims in accordance with broadly accepted norms."