- Labour MP Frank Field, known for humanitarian activism, dies at 81
- Tributes pour in across political spectrum for Lord Field
- Career spanned advocacy for welfare reform, cross-party collaborations
Frank Field was an elected Member of Parliament from 1979 until 2019. A humanitarian activist throughout his life, he passed away after being diagnosed with a terminal illness.
Former minister and Labour member of parliament Frank Field passed away at the age of 81.
A statement from his family read, “He will be dearly missed by those who had the good fortune to have shared his wit and companionship, but more than that, he will be mourned by admirers across political lines.”
In 1997, Sir Tony Blair tasked Lord Field of Birkenhead with “thinking the unthinkable” regarding welfare reform. However, his tenure in the position was brief, lasting only a year, before disagreements with fellow ministers, including Gordon Brown, forced him back to the backbenches.
After departing from the House of Commons in 2019, Lord Field received a terminal cancer diagnosis and was admitted for a limited period to hospice care in 2021.
His health had continued to deteriorate, and he administered the oath to the King from a wheelchair in the House of Lords last year.
After his passing, tributes flooded in from across the political spectrum.
Lord Field “dedicated his life to advocating for the most vulnerable” and his death was a “profound loss to politics and our nation,” according to Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer. Former home secretary Priti Patel praised his steadfast moral compass, dedication to working cross-party and unwavering principles.
Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle remarked that Lord Field’s “lack of fear of the establishment or whips” “made his campaigns against hunger and food insecurity, climate change, and the Church even more successful.”
It goes without saying that he was exceptional and will be terribly missed.
Childhood and emergence as an MP
The birthdate of Lord Field is July 16, 1942.
1979 marked his first term as the Labour Member of Parliament for Birkenhead, Merseyside.
His family belonged to the working class, and he attended the Conservative Party during his adolescent years. However, his membership was revoked subsequent to his opposition to apartheid in South Africa.
Lord Field subsequently enrolled in the Labour Party during his adolescent years.
Following his graduation from Hull University and grammar school, he returned to London in the 1960s and served as a councillor in west London.
He was the director of the charitable organisation Child Poverty Action Group from 1979 until his re-entry into parliament, subsequent to his 1968 defeat.
During his first years in parliament, the Labour Party was mired in the political wilderness, and Margaret Thatcher maintained a firm hold on power. Nevertheless, Lord Field discovered it peculiar that he continued to frequent Downing Street.
The Labour MP entered Number 10 long before Sir Tony’s 1997 election victory ushered in a new era, during which time he and Margaret Thatcher developed an unusual friendship.
Lord Field paid her a visit in 1990 to inform her that she had reached her zenith and should disassociate herself; they remained friends thereafter.
“Consider the unimaginable”
By the time New Labour surged to power, Lord Field had gained notoriety for his welfare advocacy and assistance to the poorest members of society.
His Christian faith influenced his conviction that humanity requires deliverance from primal instincts, and that the government ought to assist in this endeavour.
This included the conviction that an overly indulgent benefits system would inevitably ensnare individuals who perceived it as a more convenient and profitable substitute for the labour market.
Lord Field’s departure from the government in 1998 was ultimately the result of his disagreements with social security secretary Harriet Harman and then-chancellor Mr Brown.
Revert to the bench position
Notwithstanding his dismissal from the government, Lord Field persisted in interceding and expressing his views regarding the optimal functioning of the welfare system.
Towards the conclusion of Labour’s tenure, he harboured dissent regarding the guidance provided by Mr. Brown, the Prime Minister who had succeeded Sir Tony in 2007.
In 2015, he put forth Jeremy Corbyn as his candidate for the leadership position of the party, citing the importance of a diverse range of perspectives. He was not, however, an innate supporter of the Corbyn administration when it did succeed.
“Unlock your financial potential with free Webull shares in the UK.”
Lord Field advocated for Brexit, among other things, because he believed that freedom of movement had a negative effect on the British labour market.
In 2018, his branch of the Labour Party in his Birkenhead constituency lost a vote of no confidence on issues pertaining to Brexit legislation that he opposed.
A little more than a month later, he tendered his resignation as the Labour whip, during which he criticised the party’s handling of antisemitism.
Maintaining his stance in favour of Brexit within the House of Commons, he ran as an independent candidate in the 2019 election but was defeated by the Labour candidate.
Disease and demise
Lord Field declared himself terminally unwell in 2021 and disclosed his support for assisted suicide.
A speech in favour of assisted dying was read in the House of Lords in his behalf; he resided in a hospice. In 2020, he was elected as a crossbench peer to the upper chamber.
