Labour shadow minister Jack Dromey has died at the age of 73, his family have announced.

The Birmingham Erdington MP, husband of fellow Labour MP Harriet Harman, was a former trade unionist and Labour Party treasurer before being elected to parliament in May 2010.

Mr Dromey was shadow minister for immigration, and he and Ms Harman had three children together.

His family said in a statement: “Jack Dromey MP died suddenly this morning aged 73 in his flat in Erdington.

“He had been a dedicated member of parliament for Birmingham Erdington since 2010.

“He was a much loved husband, father and grandfather, and he will be greatly missed.”

Our dad – Jack – died suddenly today.

We loved him so, so much.

Rest in peace big man x pic.twitter.com/g8S6I4jBHy

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said Mr Dromey “dedicated his life to standing up for working people”.

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He added: “From supporting the strike at the Grunwick film processing laboratory, when he met Harriet, through to being elected to represent Birmingham Erdington in 2010, Jack lived his commitment to social justice every day.

“He was highly respected and warmly regarded across parliament.”

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said Mr Dromey was a “life-force” and colleagues were “in disbelief” that he had died.

He continued: “I have known Jack since the mid-1980s when we fought to save the Royal Ordnance Factory in Chorley – he was national officer for the Transport and General Workers’ Union and I was chair of economic development at Chorley Council.

“He was a great guy, down to earth, always positive and always looking to support and save jobs.”

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