John Prescott, former deputy prime minister, has died aged 86 following a battle with Alzheimer’s, his family has announced.
His family stated that he had “spent his life trying to improve the lives of others, fighting for social justice and protecting the environment”. The Mirror reports that the former merchant seaman and trade union activist passed away “peacefully” in his care home, his family said.
A pivotal player in Sir Tony Blair’s New Labour agenda, Lord Prescott was viewed by many as the party’s defender of its traditional values in the face of a modernising leadership. He is “devastated” to hear of his former colleague’s death, Sir Tony added.
After serving as the city’s MP for forty years, Lord Prescott was ennobled in 2010 and introduced to the upper chamber as Baron Prescott of Kingston upon Hull.
His wife Pauline and sons Johnathon and David said that representing the people of Hull had been “his greatest honour”, in a statement released after his death.
“We are deeply saddened to inform you that our beloved husband, father and grandfather, John Prescott, passed away peacefully yesterday at the age of 86. He did so surrounded by the love of his family and the jazz music of Marian Montgomery,” they said.
“John spent his life trying to improve the lives of others, fighting for social justice and protecting the environment, doing so from his time as a waiter on the cruise liners to becoming Britain’s longest serving deputy prime minister.
“John dearly loved his home of Hull and representing its people in Parliament for 40 years was his greatest honour. We would like to thank the amazing NHS doctors and nurses who cared for him after his stroke in 2019 and the dedicated staff at the care home where he passed away after latterly living with Alzheimer’s.
“In lieu of flowers and if you wish to do so, you can donate to Alzheimer’s Research UK. As you can imagine, our family needs to process our grief so we respectfully request time and space to mourn in private. Thank you.”
In July this year, Lord Prescott ceased to be a member of the upper House after facing health difficulties. Since suffering a stroke in 2019, he had only spoken once in the chamber, official records show, and had not voted since February 2023.
Lord Prescott served for 10 years as deputy prime minister after Labour’s 1997 general election landslide, over a parliamentary career spanning more than half a century, At times short-tempered, he once famously punched a protester who threw an egg at him during an election campaign visit to North Wales in 2001.
However, he served as a mediator in the frequently turbulent relationship between Sir Tony and chancellor Gordon Brown for a large portion of his tenure in office. Along with managing the environment, transportation, and regions, he also assisted in the negotiations of the global Kyoto Protocol on climate change.
Lord Prescott was a loyal supporter of Sir Tony in office but subsequently critical of parts of New Labour’s legacy, denouncing Britain’s involvement in the Iraq War. He also strongly defended Jeremy Corbyn during his time as party leader in the face of fierce criticism.
The son of a railwayman, Lord Prescott was born on May 31, 1938, in Prestatyn, North Wales. He dropped out of school at the age of 15 to work as a trainee chef and later as a steward on the Cunard Line before going into politics. In a private letter in 2007, Sir Tony said his former deputy’s role “smoothing out problems, sorting out colleagues and trouble-shooting” had been an “integral part of getting things done”.
The former prime minister said: “The completely unique Prescott blend of charm and brutality – made always more effective by the unpredictability of which would be predominant – got you through the decade, kept the government together and above all, gave me a lot of fun. I was lucky to have you as my deputy.”
Don’t miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond – Sign up to our daily newsletter here.