Tributes to former deputy Labour leader Roy Hattersley, from Sheffield, after death aged 93
Sheffield born politician was aged 93
Sheffield born former Labour deputy leader Roy Hattersley was a "giant of the Labour movement", Sir Keir Starmer has said following the death of the Sheffield -born politician, author and journalist aged 93.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister added: "Through decades of service, including as deputy leader and a minister, he never lost his belief in a more equal Britain .
"My thoughts are with his wife Maggie and his family."
A well known Sheffield Wednesday fan, he passed his 11 plus in the city to get a place at Sheffield City grammar school, before going on to Hull University
After a spell as president of the National Association of Labour Students. he went home to Sheffield to marry Molly Loughran.
At 23 he was the youngest Sheffield City councillor, and chaired of the housing management committee which commissioned the famous Park Hill flats.
He went on to be MP for Birmingham Sparkbrook, and climb the party hierarchy, becoming deputy leader under Neil Kinnock.
Lord Kinnock, who led the party from 1983 to 1992, said: "I am deeply saddened to hear that Roy has died and send my profound sympathy to Maggie.
"Roy was a socialist of deep conviction, a dedicated democrat who believed that liberty should be unqualified by anything but responsibility and never by background or fortune. He held that freedom had to be made real and secure by collective action and contribution, by accountability, and by equality.
"He was fluent and courageous in expressing these beliefs in speech and writing and wrote countless columns and published 20 books. He was never solemn nor deferential and his common sense, humour and endless stories made him excellent company.
"All of this made him a valued comrade and an incomparable asset to the Labour Party , to British democracy and to wider humanity."
Labour deputy leader Lucy Powell posted: "This is sad news. Roy Hattersley , best known for being Neil Kinnock's deputy leader, shaped the Labour Party and British politics.
"He was a giant of our movement and of that generation of politicians.
"I met him a few times and he was always kind, thoughtful and full of sound advice."
Tory former Commons deputy speaker Nigel Evans wrote: " Roy Hattersley was one of the genuine old Labour politicians - fiercely academic with his true roots in support of working people - I was lucky enough to cross his last term in the Commons.
"It's people like Roy that shaped politics for a generation with absolute belief in improving the lot of the people he represented..... on the lighter side he was a gift to spitting image - but his legacy was not that of his caricature.
"I pay tribute to the passing of a warrior of a politics more real."