Frank Field, a former Labour MP and minister, has passed away at the age of 81. He was known for his advocacy for welfare reform and for assisting society’s most vulnerable members. Field served as minister for welfare reform under Tony Blair from 1997 to 1998, where he was commissioned to ‘think the unthinkable’ to improve the system. However, he faced conflicts with other ministers, including Gordon Brown, which led to his departure from the government.
Field remained a vocal critic of the welfare system throughout his career, arguing that it should not be so generous as to discourage people from seeking employment. He was also a supporter of Brexit, believing that freedom of movement was having a negative effect on the UK’s labor market. This stance led him to vote against Labour on Brexit-related legislation and to lose a vote of confidence in his Birkenhead constituency party in 2018. He subsequently resigned the Labour whip and criticized the party’s handling of antisemitism.
In 2021, Field announced that he was terminally ill and supported assisted dying. He spent time in hospice, and a speech in support of the terminal policy was read out in the House of Lords on his behalf. Field was made a crossbench peer in 2022 and continued to support Brexit in the House of Commons. He passed away in 2023, leaving a legacy of dedication to improving the lives of the most vulnerable in society.
