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A former Labour MP who piled pressure on Margaret Thatcher over the sinking of the Belgrano during the Falklands War has died aged 84.

Tam Dalyell was the Father of the House as the longest-serving MP.

A family statement said the parliamentary veteran died after a short illness.

“Tam Dalyell devoted his life to public service in Scotland, in the UK, and beyond,” the statement said.

“He made an enormous contribution in many spheres. He will be much missed both publicly, and more importantly personally, by his family and many friends.”

(Image: PA)

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “Sad to hear of the death of my friend Tam Dalyell, a titan of parliamentary scrutiny, fearless in pursuit of truth. Thoughts with his family.”

Mr Dalyell spent 43 years in the Commons before standing down in 2005.

His Scottish constituency gave its name to the great constitutional riddle of devolution after Sir Tam asked whether non-English MPs should be able to vote upon English-only matters after devolution.

The West Lothian Question still poses problems for parliamentarians despite various attempts at a solution, including “English votes for English laws”.

(Image: PA)

Old Etonian Mr Dalyell was also well known for pursuing Mrs Thatcher over the controversial torpedoing of the Argentine light cruiser the General Belgrano during the 1982 Falklands War.

The nuclear submarine HMS Conqueror sunk the vessel, which was outside a maritime exclusion zone, killing 368 men.

Controversy raged around whether the ship was returning to port - and anti-war campaigner Mr Dalyell doggedly pursued answers in the following years.