Sir Tony Lloyd dies aged 73
The Rochdale MP shared the sad news last week that his blood cancer was untreatable
Last updated 17th Jan 2024
Sir Tony Lloyd, the Labour MP for Rochdale, "died peacefully" at home on Wednesday morning.
His family has paid tribute to a life spent "serving and making a difference to the lives of those he met."
In their statement, his family said:
"He was working until a few days before his death as his passion was helping others. He devoted his life to serving and making a difference to the lives of those he met including his constituents, colleagues, friends, and family.
"We would like to thank all the dedicated doctors, nurses, healthcare assistants and other hospital staff who have provided him with care, as well as the blood and platelet donors who gave him an extra four years of life."
The veteran politician, 73, has represented Greater Manchester for over 40 years.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer paid tribute to Sir Tony Lloyd's "desire to make the world a better, fairer place"
"The death of Sir Tony Lloyd today is a terrible loss. I know the entire Labour Party, and many beyond the Party, join me in sending our deepest condolences to Tony's wife, Judith, his children, Siobhan, Angharad, Kieron and Ali, and his granddaughters, Carmen and Carys," Sir Keir said.
"Like them, we will remember his deep commitment to Labour values and his decency. We will always be grateful for his dedication to public life, his devotion to his country and his desire to make the world a better, fairer place. In the Labour Party, we will honour his legacy of service to others and his commitment to justice.
"May he rest in peace."
Last week, Tony said he had been receiving treatment for blood cancer, but the illness had progressed. On X, he wrote: "I have been receiving treatment for some time for a form of blood cancer which has been controlled by chemotherapy.
"Unfortunately this has now transformed into an aggressive and untreatable form of leukaemia and I will be leaving hospital today."
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said his thoughts were with Sir Tony's family, friends and "the people of Manchester to whom he was devoted throughout his life" after hearing the "very sad news".
Sir Tony first entered Parliament in 1983, being elected during that year's general election - a disastrous showing for Labour under Michael Foot's left-wing leadership - as MP for Stretford in Greater Manchester.
Following boundary changes, he stood and won election for Manchester Central during New Labour's 1997 general election landslide.
He would go on to serve in the influential position as chair of the parliamentary Labour Party between 2006 and 2012 before standing down from Parliament to successfully contest the election for police and crime commissioner for Greater Manchester.
After losing to Andy Burnham in his ambition to become Labour's candidate for mayor of Greater Manchester, Sir Tony returned to the Commons as MP for Rochdale in 2017.
During his Commons career, he was a junior minister for some of former prime minister Sir Tony Blair's first term in office.
He also held a number of key opposition roles during Jeremy Corbyn's time as leader, including shadow housing minister and shadow secretary of state for Northern Ireland.
In 2020, he was admitted to intensive care after contracting Covid-19, standing down from the shadow cabinet to focus on his recovery.
He was knighted in the Queen's 2021 birthday honours for parliamentary services.
Sir Keir said: "The death of Sir Tony Lloyd today is a terrible loss.
"I know the entire Labour Party, and many beyond the Party, join me in sending our deepest condolences to Tony's wife, Judith, his children, Siobhan, Angharad, Kieron and Ali, and his granddaughters, Carmen and Carys.
"Like them, we will remember his deep commitment to Labour values and his decency.
"We will always be grateful for his dedication to public life, his devotion to his country and his desire to make the world a better, fairer place."
Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves tweeted that she would miss Sir Tony's "friendship and his advice".
Louise Haigh, the shadow transport secretary, said she was "absolutely devasted", calling the MP an "incredibly kind, supportive and deeply principled colleague".
"He will be very badly missed. Love and condolences to his family and all those who loved him," she said on X.