Former BBC political editor John Cole dies aged 85 David Cameron leads tributes to former journalist and broadcaster Born in Belfast he worked in newspapers before joining the BBC in 1981 Reported on Margaret Thatcher's premiership and eventual downfall Family recall 'most loving, funny and devoted husband, father, grandfather' Nick Robinson says Cole 'shaped the way all in my trade do our jobs' Ed Miliband tweets that his generation 'grew up watching John Cole' Legendary political journalist John Cole has died at the age of 85 after a long illness, his family said today. The BBC's political editor came to define political reporting for most of Margaret Thatcher's premiership, covering the Brighton bomb, the Westland affair and correctly predicting the Iron Lady's downfall. David Cameron was 'deeply saddened' by the news, as journalists and politicians of all parties paid tribute to one of the defining voices of the Thatcher era. Politicians and journalists paid tribute to veteran broadcaster John Cole who has died at the age of 85 Obstinate: Mr Cole reported on most of Margaret Thatcher's premiership and predicted her downfall, but he found her difficult to interview Mr Cole's family said that while a generation of politicians and journalists would remember him for his reporting on a turbulent period in Westminster, they recalled 'the most loving, funny and devoted husband, father and grandfather'. Born in Belfast, his fast-paced Irish accent and over-sized glasses became a trademark of his broadcasts and he was so well-known in the 1980s that he was even featured as a Spitting Image. He was BBC political editor from 1981 to the 1992 general election. He later revealed that Mrs Thatcher's 'enamelled certitude' made her difficult to interview, but conceded that 'her gender and the fight a woman faced to get to the very top made her the kind of determined, obstinate politician she became'. Legend: John Cole was political editor of the BBC from 1981 to 1992, chronically almost all of Margaret Thatcher's premiership and her downfall David Cameron's official spokesman: "The Prime Minister is deeply saddened by the news. He is someone who contributed so much to British political life. Kenneth Clarke, Tory Cabinet minister: "He was an outstanding political journalist but he was also genuinely a very nice, witty character, whose company was always a pleasure." Lord Heseltine, ex-Cabinet minister:"John became a national character. I think the accent was a great help, didn't do him any harm at all, everybody knew who he was. Sir John Major, former prime minister: "John Cole was one of the finest political correspondents of my lifetime, and a real credit to his profession. When John spoke, everyone listened. Lord Patten, BBC Trust chairman and former Cabinet minister: "John Cole was a hugely respected BBC political editor, whose absolute integrity and astute analysis, to say nothing of his distinctive delivery, defined political reporting in the Eighties." Labour leader Ed Miliband: "My generation grew up watching John Cole. He conveyed the drama and importance of politics. Many condolences to his family. Scotland First Minister Alex Salmond said: "Not only was he an extremely able journalist but also extraordinarily helpful and generous to a young politician." David Cameron's official spokesman said: 'The Prime Minister is deeply saddened by the news and would send his condolences, of course, to Mr Cole's family and friends. BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten, a Tory Cabinet minister in the 1980s and 90s, said: 'John Cole was a hugely respected BBC political editor, whose absolute integrity and astute analysis, to say nothing of his distinctive delivery, defined political reporting in the Eighties. My thoughts are with his family. Current BBC political editor Nick Robinson said: 'Sad news. The man I learnt so much from the BBC's former Political Editor John Cole has died. He shaped the way all in my trade do our jobs. In his memoirs, Cole recounted how an interview early in his career with then prime minister Clement Attlee during a holiday in Ireland inspired him to to work in Westminster. He went on to interview many of Westminster's biggest names and was a regular fixture outside Downing Street in the 1980s. He later recalled how he had become the first person to predict Mrs Thatcher's downfall after she failed to secure enough votes to win a first leadership ballot in 1990. 'The next morning, I had not got my coat hung up before Conservative MPs were all but queuing up to tell me she was finished,' he said in an article for the BBC. It was when cabinet ministers began to say that she could not go on that I became confident enough of the trend to predict the end of what had been an exciting period in British politics. Labour leader Ed Miliband wrote on Twitter: 'My generation grew up watching John Cole. Tribute: Current BBC political editor Nick Robinson said Mr Cole had defined the role for his successors Today's generation of politicians and journalists grew up watching Mr Cole reporting on life in Westminster The BBC's director of news and current affairs, James Harding, said: 'John was a loved and respected broadcaster, a journalist with his own unforgettable style and a commanding knowledge of his subject. He embodied the qualities of a truly great journalist: integrity, curiosity and character. He will, I know, be sorely missed and fondly remembered across the BBC. Our thoughts are with his family. Scotland First Minister Alex Salmond said: 'When I started out in politics at the House of Commons, John Cole was the main BBC correspondent. Not only was he an extremely able journalist but also extraordinarily helpful and generous to a young politician. Mr Cole became a household name with his distinctive style, accent and glasses, and was immortalised with a Spitting Image puppet He died peacefully in his sleep at his home in Surrey, surrounded by his family. He is survived by his wife Madge, four sons - Donald, Patrick, David and Michael - and nine grandchildren. His family said: 'While many people will remember John for his journalism and broadcasting, for us he was the most loving, funny and devoted husband, father and grandfather. We will miss him terribly, but have so many memories of the tremendous happiness he has brought into our lives. Mr Cole started his career on the Belfast Telegraph in 1945 before joining The Guardian in 1956, where he later became labour correspondent, news editor and eventually deputy editor. In 1975 he joined The Observer, where he was also Deputy Editor.In 1981 he became political editor of the BBC, where he remained for more than a decade. On camera: Mr Cole spent more than a decade reporting on politics for the BBC, interviewing all of the big players in the 1980s and covering countless party conferences He was presented with the Royal Television Society's Journalist of the Year award in 1991 and BAFTA's Richard Dimbleby Award in 1993. He retired from the BBC after the 1992 General Election but continued to broadcast and write as a freelance for many years. In retirement he wrote a collection of political memoirs, "As It Seemed To Me," and a novel, "A Clouded Peace." They followed his earlier books, 'The Poor of the Earth' and 'The Thatcher Years'. The Belfast boy whose voice was the soundtrack of 1980s politics John Cole's voice, with its strong Ulster accent, was a constant on news broadcasts through the Thatcher years. As the BBC's political editor, he kept the public informed about the major upheavals of the 1980s, from the miners' strike to the Brighton bombing and industry privatisations. Cole was born in Belfast on November 23, 1927 into a Protestant unionist family. Having attended Belfast Royal Academy, he joined the Belfast Telegraph in 1945 aged 17. One of his early scoops was an ad hoc interview with the then prime minister Clement Attlee, who was driving round Ireland on holiday without a police guard. In 1956, Cole moved to the Guardian, then based in Manchester, serving as the newspaper's labour correspondent, news editor and deputy editor. He subsequently became deputy editor at the Observer, and memorably gave evidence against Tiny Rowland at the Monopolies Commission when he took over as proprietor in 1981. He made the transition to television look easy after being offered the BBC political editor role that year, and quickly became a household name. Cole's profile was reflected in the frequent appearances of his puppet on the popular Spitting Image satirical show. Despite suffering a severe heart attack at the House of Commons in 1984, Cole remained in his job until 1992, when he reached what was then the BBC's mandatory retirement age. He continued to broadcast on TV and radio, and penned a well-received autobiography, As It Seemed To Me.