Jack Dromey: Harriet Harman discusses widowhood after loss of husband

Harriet Harman has opened up on life as a widow following the death of her husband Jack Dromey at the start of the year.

The former Erdington MP died from natural causes aged 73 on January 7.

Speaking on Sky News, the veteran Labour MP discussed her late husband’s support for women in politics and her life since Mr Dromey died.

The MP for Camberwell and Peckham, said: “There were women in the trade union that he worked with and other women in parliament that he would always be encouraging because he believed that the role of men was to support and encourage women and not to stand in their way and hold them back.”

She added: “We were together for 47 years, which is an incredibly long time to share your political journey and life’s journey with somebody.

“The thing about being a widow after a long marriage is - I mean my mum lived until she was one hundred so I might have another 30 years left - so this is a new chapter in my life which I have got to figure out how to crack on with the things I’m going to be doing for the next 30 years.

“People say ‘now that you’re on your own’ - but i’m not with Jack anymore, but i’m not on my own, I’ve got my children and I’ve got my friends and I’ve got my work colleagues.

“I don’t agree with the notion that when you’re a widow your life is effectively over and that the best years of your life are behind you, and somehow you are a lesser person.

“I think we’ve got to recognise that it’s a different stage of life and obviously it starts with great grief and loss, but people are themselves in widowhood; the same as they are the rest of their life.”

Former nurse Paulette Hamilton will replace Mr Dromey as Erdington’s Labour MP after winning the by-election at the start of this month (March).

Watch the clip below.

A message from the editor:

Thank you for reading. BirminghamWorld is Birmingham’s latest news website, championing everything that is great about our city - reporting on news, lifestyle and sport. We want to start a community among our readers, so please follow us on Facebook,Twitter and Instagram, and keep the conversation going.