Labour MP Sir Tony Lloyd dies 'peacefully at home'

Sir Tony Lloyd, the Labour MP for Rochdale, "died peacefully" at home on Wednesday morning, his family has said in a statement.

A post on social media from his family said he was still working a few days before his death.

The veteran MP revealed he had an untreatable form of leukaemia at the weekend and had been treated for blood cancer and received chemotherapy.

The family described him as "our beloved 'Joe,' 'Dad' and 'Grandad'.

In a statement posted on X, they added: "He died peacefully this morning surrounded by his family, as was his wish."

Sir Tony has been a Labour MP since 1983 and was a foreign minister between 1997 and 1999, during Tony Blair's government.

He was later appointed as shadow housing minister and became chair of the parliamentary Labour party.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer paid tribute to Sir Tony'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.

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said she was "deeply saddened" by his death, adding she would miss his "friendship and his advice".

She said: "He dedicated his life to public service and improving the lives of the people he served."

Sir Tony became a foreign office minister in Tony Blair's government after Labour swept to power in the 1997 general election and also held a number of shadow cabinet roles including Secretary of State for Northern Ireland under Jeremy Corbyn.

He was first elected as an MP in 1983, representing the Stretford constituency for 14 years before serving the people of Manchester Central for another 15 years.

In 2012 he became Greater Manchester's inaugural police and crime commissioner, vacating his Westminster seat.

Three years later he was appointed interim mayor for the city region.

But the lure of Westminster was too strong to keep Sir Tony away for long and he was elected as Rochdale's MP in May 2017.