Jeff Rooker served as Labour MP for Perry Barr from 1974 to 2001 before entering the House of Lords. Coming from a working-class background and originally training as a production engineer and lecturer, he entered politics through Birmingham City Council before being elected to Parliament. During his career, he held numerous shadow ministerial roles in opposition and served in several ministerial posts under the Labour government, including Agriculture, Social Security, the Home Office, Northern Ireland, Housing, Regeneration, and Planning.