Westminster veteran Frank Field’s career highlights

1979 Elected MP for Birkenhead. Became an early champion of efforts to “modernise” the Labour party and fought efforts to deselect him by the militant Left in early Eighties

1980-1981 Shadow spokesman on education under Michael Foot’s leadership

1990-1997 Chair

of Social Security select committee 1997-1998

Minister for welfare reform in Tony Blair’s first cabinet. After leaving the post, he became an influential backbencher

2010 Appointed poverty tsar by David Cameron

2015 Chair of Work and Pensions select committee