Photo: EL PAÍS Uruguay

London, June 15 (RHC) --British actress and politician Glenda Jackson, winner of two Oscars, died Thursday at the age of 87 after a brief illness, said her representative Lionel Larner.

Jackson became a politician as a member of the Labor Party, while she was awarded in Hollywood for her performances in Women in Love in 1970 and A Touch of Class in 1973.

She was born on May 9, 1939 in Birkenhead, a small port located in front of Liverpool and always kept a suburban accent that she mixed with her determination to succeed.

The daughter of a bricklayer and a cleaning woman, she began working in a pharmacy while taking an amateur acting course. Despite not having the support of her family, she managed to get into the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and then went on tour, beginning her career on the boards.

After 35 years, she moved away from the stage, entered politics at the age of 55 and became a Labour MP in 1992, representing a district in the suburbs of the capital.

Her career in that field was dedicated to the poor, the unemployed and the sick. Between 1997 and 1999 she served as Minister of Transport in Tony Blair's Labor government and in 2003 she became one of the critical voices against the invasion of Iraq, according to local press reports.

Jackson was honored by Argentine writer Julio Cortázar in his book "We love Glenda so much."