John Prescott, the formidable deputy prime minister under Tony Blair’s Labour government, has died aged 86 after a battle with Alzheimer’s, his family announced on Thursday.
Prescott, who served from 1997 to 2007, was a key figure in bridging the Labour Party’s traditional left with its modernising wing.
Known for his plain-speaking and combative style, he was affectionately dubbed a political “bruiser” and gained fame for his fiery encounters, including punching a protester who threw an egg at him during the 2001 election campaign.
“There was no one quite like him in British politics,” Blair told BBC radio. “I don’t think, to be honest, I’d ever met anyone quite like John, and I still don’t think I’ve ever met anyone quite like him, and I’m very sad that he’s passed.”
Born in 1938 in Wales to a railway signalman and a maid, Prescott’s early years were spent at sea as a steward on luxury liners, where he also participated in boxing matches for entertainment. He later studied at Oxford’s Ruskin College, setting the foundation for a career in politics.
Prescott entered Parliament in 1970 and played a pivotal role in Labour’s three successive election victories from 1997 to 2007. Often acting as a mediator between Blair and Gordon Brown, his pragmatic diplomacy earned respect across the party.
Nicknamed “Two Jags” after using his ministerial car for a brief journey to protect his wife’s hairstyle, Prescott’s personality and anecdotes became as iconic as his politics.
His passing marks the end of an era for Labour, with tributes pouring in to honour his legacy as a staunch advocate for workers and a unifying figure in British politics.
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