Politicians and MPs have paid tribute to Frank Field, former Birkenhead MP, after he passed away on Tuesday.
Frank Field was the MP for Birkenhead for 40 years.
A family statement was issued by his parliamentary office saying that Field had passed away at the age of 81 following a period of illness.
Lord Field was one of the longest serving MPs in the House of Commons, and only lost his seat in the 2019 general election after forming his own party.
He dedicated his career to tackling social inequalities, including child poverty and modern slavery.
Prime Minster Rishi Sunak said: “Field was a decent, moral and thoughtful man” who “made our politics better”.
Labour leader Sir Kier Starmer called Lord Field’s death a “profound loss to politics and to our nation” and added that he “dedicated his life to being a voice for the most vulnerable”.
Tony Blair called him an “independent thinker, never constrained by conventional wisdom, but always pushing at the frontier of new ideas.
“Even when we disagreed, I had the utmost respect for him as a colleague and a character.
“Whether in his work on child poverty or in his time devoted to the reform of our welfare system, he stood up and stood out for the passion and insight he brought to any subject.”
Tributes continue to pour in, with former home secretary Priti Patel writing on X: “Frank was a kind and compassionate man and a great parliamentarian.
“His unwavering moral compass, commitment to working cross-party and unshakable principles defined him and will be greatly missed.”
Field was first elected as the Labour MP for Birkenhead in 1979, and was made a cross-bench peer in 2020, earning him the title of Lord Field of Birkenhead.
He continued to serve on the boards of Cool Earth, Feeding Britain and the Frank Field Education Trust.
His family said: “Frank is survived by two brothers. He will be mourned by admirers across politics but above all he will be greatly missed by those lucky enough to have enjoyed his laughter and friendship.”
