Lord Dormand of Easington, a former chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party and staunch fighter on behalf of the mining community, died in hospital last night aged 84, his colleague Lord Graham of Edmonton confirmed today.

Jack Dormand represented the mining constituency of Easington in the Commons from 1970 to 1987 before becoming a life peer. He was a Government whip during the late 1970s and was credited with keeping the Callaghan administration afloat until Margaret Thatcher stormed to power in 1979.

John Donkin Dormand was born on August 27, 1919, in the mining village of Haswell, near Easington. He was educated at Wellfield Grammar School, Bede College, Durham University, Loughborough College, Harvard University (where he forged a friendship with the future Democrat Senator Edward Kennedy) and St Peter's College, Oxford.

After working as a teacher in the 1960s, he was elected to Parliament in 1970, succeeding the illustrious ''Manny'' Shinwell as MP for Easington.

Throughout his career, he demonstrated a special interest in education and constantly battled on behalf of the mining community which dominated his constituency.

After Labour was defeated in 1979, Dormand continued as a whip in Opposition for eight years. He also chaired the Parliamentary Labour Party from 1981 to 1987.

Dormand regularly attended the House of Lords where he continued to speak up for educational opportunities and for his home region. As chairman of the Republic All-Party Parliamentary Group he recently called on the Government to establish a select committee to consider the future of the monarchy.

He was a keen film-goer and a lifelong lover of jazz and classical music. He was also a good cricketer and rugby player, carrying on playing rugby into his early 60s. It is said that the only injury he ever sustained on the rugby field was when he refereed a match.

He died in Peterborough District Hospital after what Lord Graham described as a breakdown of his immune system. He is survived by a widow, Doris.

Lord Graham said: ''He was one of the most respected parliamentarians both in the Commons and the Lords. He never stopped fighting the case for the mining industry and he was a credit to his family, his constituency and his party.''