King Charles and Sir Tony Blair led tributes to former deputy prime minister John Prescott, who has died at the age of 86 after battling Alzheimer’s.
The King hailed the Labour veteran’s “decades of public service” in frontline politics and said he was “deeply saddened”.
“I remember with great fondness his unique and indomitable character, as well as his infectious sense of humour,” he said.
Lord Prescott, who was a pivotal figure in Blair’s New Labour project, died peacefully in a care home surrounded by family.
During a parliamentary career spanning 50 years, he served as deputy prime minister for a decade following the party’s landslide victory in 1997.
While he was known for his fiery temperament, he played a crucial role in mediating the often fractious relationship between Blair and then chancellor Gordon Brown.
The former MP for Kingston upon Hull East, a seat which he held for four decades, made headlines in 2001 when he punched a protester who had thrown an egg at him during an election campaign event in North Wales.
Blair’s former spin doctor Alastair Campbell said the government “could not have had a better peacemaker”, adding: “Of course he was combative but he had an enormous heart and a great capacity for friendship.”
His attempts to push through the Kyoto climate change deal in the UK as a cabinet minister also earned him the nickname “two Jags” for his use of two Jaguar cars for short journeys while trying to encourage people to use vehicles less.
Born in Prestatyn, Wales, on 31 May 1938, Lord Prescott rose from humble beginnings as the son of a railway worker to become one of the Labour Party’s most prominent figures.
Though a steadfast ally of Sir Tony during his tenure, Lord Prescott later criticised aspects of New Labour’s legacy, including the controversial decision to invade Iraq.
A former trade unionist and merchant seaman, Lord Prescott was widely known for his commitment to social justice and environmental protection.
He was viewed by many as the man who carried the torch for the traditional labour movement within his party, at a time when it was being radically modernised by Sir Tony and Mr Brown.
Paying tribute to his former deputy, Sir Tony described him as “one of the most talented people I ever encountered in politics”, saying he is devastated by the loss.
Former prime minister Gordon Brown said: “He was a colossus and titan of the Labour movement.
“When you hear the term working class hero, John fitted that description.”
Listing his “great achievements”, Mr Brown noted his work on the Kyoto Protocol, devolution and the repair and improvement of housing.
He went on: “At all times he was a unifying force. As deputy leader he realised the passion for unity in the Labour Party. He was important in holding the party together, particularly over Iraq.
“Despite his image as a tough person who was uncompromising, John really wanted people to work together.”
He noted: “John always talked about enduring values in Labour politics, so his values never changed.”
Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer said Lord Prescott was a “true giant of the Labour movement” and one of the “key architects” of Labour’s last government.
Former home secretary Alan Johnson, who was a neighbouring MP in Hull, said: “While many people’s description of John was uncompromising, he spent most of his life finding compromise and making deals.”
There were also tributes from former opponents. Tory grandee and former deputy prime minister Michael Heseltine said: “It would be ridiculous to say we were close because that is not the way of politics [but] John and I got on very well.
“Once you got away from the political spotlight and the need to show your followers you are on side, we had a lot in common and the desire to better the lives of people.”
Baroness Harriet Harman, who succeeded Prescott as deputy leader of the party, said he was a “huge figure in bringing Labour back into government”.
She described him as a “combative unifier who outsmarted those who underestimated him”, adding: “He reassured Labour traditionalists that there was a place for them in New Labour.”
In a statement, Lord Prescott’s wife Pauline and sons Jonathan and David expressed their sorrow, calling his years serving the people of Hull his greatest honour.
He died “surrounded by the love of his family and the jazz music of Marion 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.”
“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.”
Lord Prescott stepped down from the House of Lords in July due to health challenges. Records reveal he had spoken in the chamber only once since suffering a stroke in 2019 and had not participated in a vote since February of last year.
He once wrote that while he was "not a raving royalist", he had "a lot of time for Charles" who he described as a passionate environmentalist, and told how he received a handwritten note from the then prince in 2003 when his mother died.
Sir Tony wrote in his memoirs how Charles was baffled by Lord Prescott's habit of balancing a teacup and saucer on his stomach.
In his 2010 book, A Journey, he recalled bumping into the royal who had just his first meeting with the deputy prime minister.
“Does he ever do that thing with you?” asked Charles. “When he's sitting opposite you, he slides down the seat with his legs apart, his crotch pointing a little menacingly, and balances his teacup and saucer on his tummy. It's very odd. I've never seen someone do that before. What do you think it means?”
Sir Tony said he replied: "I don't think it means anything, really."
Charles continued: “Hmm. You don't think it's a sort of gesture or sign of hostility or class enmity or something?”
Sir Tony reassured him that his deputy made the same gesture to him quite often, adding finally: “I think he just likes drinking his tea that way.”
Former US vice-president Al Gore, who worked with Lord Prescott on the Kyoto Protocol in 1997, said he had “never worked with anyone in politics – on my side of the pond or his – quite like John Prescott”.
“He fought like hell to negotiate the Kyoto Protocol and was an unwavering champion of climate action for decades to come,” Mr Gore said. “I’m forever grateful to John for that commitment to solving the climate crisis and will miss him as a dear friend.”
