Bush ex-spokesman Tony Snow dies

---

Former White House press secretary Tony Snow has died of cancer, US television station Fox News has announced.

Mr Snow (53) had been suffering from colon cancer, it said, BBC reports.

He resigned as President George W Bush's spokesman in August 2007 - after just 17 months in the job - citing financial reasons.

Since then he had been working as a television commentator. The father-of-three had joined President Bush's team from Fox News TV in April 2006.

An outspoken conservative presenter, he was the first Washington commentator to be appointed to the White House role - replacing Scott McClellan.

He had served as chief speech writer for President George W Bush's father when he was president.

He had also worked as a columnist for USA Today and editorial page editor of the Washington Times.

He had his colon removed in 2005, and two years later doctors removed a cancerous growth from his abdominal area.

Before joining the White House staff, Mr Snow criticised Mr Bush's "lacklustre" domestic policy. On one occasion, he described the current US president as "something of an embarrassment".