Tony Blair ‘devastated’ by death of Prescott
Labour former prime minister Sir Tony Blair said he was “devastated” by the death of Lord Prescott, and described his deputy as “one of the most talented people I ever encountered in politics”.
Blair said:
Although we all knew that the end was approaching and was inevitable, I am devastated by John’s passing. He was one of the most talented people I ever encountered in politics; one of the most committed and loyal; and definitely the most unusual.
There was nothing about John which fitted conventional wisdom. He was from proud traditional working class stock yet understood instinctively and completely the aspirations of that class and their desire to better themselves.
He was liberal and tolerant, yet instantly intolerant of any overly liberal middle class dismissal of the misery suffered by poor inner city communities from crime and drug abuse. He could talk in the bluntest and sometimes bluest language, but it concealed a first rate intellect which meant he thought as deeply about issues as much as he cared about them.
It is no exaggeration to say the Labour Party could never have won three consecutive full terms without John. He was a commanding presence. He represented the wing of the party which was not New Labour, but he did it in a way which never reduced the effectiveness of our appeal and indeed extended it, broadening the base of our support.
He had extraordinary accomplishments: he revived many of Britain’s inner cities, was responsible for the refurbishment of thousands of council homes, the revival of British shipping, completed the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, established the Coalfield Communities Trust to breathe life back into villages and towns affected by the closure of mines; and was Britain’s lead negotiator for the Kyoto climate treaty, the world’s first attempt to agree a global response to climate change.
Key events
Recalling the moment John Prescott punched a protester who threw an egg at him in 2001,
Sir Tony Blair told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that he answered “well, John is John” at a subsequent press conference.
Blair said: “Someone smashed an egg on his head, and he turned up, and he turned around, and he punched the guy and laid him out.
“This caused a huge sort of fracas, obviously… We had to give a press conference in the election campaign the next day, and some people were saying, well, look, he’s deputy prime minister – you know, you can’t have a deputy prime minister thumping a voter.
“And then there were other people who said, yeah, but you know… he had this egg slammed in his head, and he turned around and whacked the guy, and a lot of people think, well, fair enough.”
A long debate ensued, Blair said, adding: “Finally, at the press conference, when I was asked about that, I just said, well, John, is John. And so was that supposed to be an answer? I said, Yeah, that’s an answer, that’s as much as you can say.”
Ed Miliband, the energy secretary and former Labour leader said Lord Prescott was a “titan of the Labour movement”.
Miliband wrote on X:
I am deeply saddened to hear of the death of John Prescott. He was a titan of the Labour movement, a unique and irreplaceable fighter for justice.
He fought for social and economic equality all his life, championed the cause of the environment and showed how politics could change lives for the better.
John represented the best of Labour values and I will always be grateful for the support he provided to me as Labour leader. I extend my deepest condolences to Pauline, Jonathan and David.
Former Conservative Party leader Lord Hague said Lord Prescott was a “formidable debater”.
Posting on X, Hague said:
John Prescott was one of the great figures of our political era—passionate, loyal, and full of life. I will never forget our many lively exchanges across the despatch box. John was a formidable debater, unflinching in his commitment to his values, and he had a unique ability to speak directly to the concerns of the people he represented. It was a point of pride for both of us that we hailed from Rotherham; although it shaped us in different ways, we shared a certain bluntness in our exchanges—though in true Yorkshire fashion, John usually got straight to the point faster than I did! John’s legacy as a voice for working people and a relentless advocate for Labour will endure. My thoughts are with his family and loved ones at this very sad time.
Sir Tony Blair’s tribute continued:
I relied on him many times: when in difficulty, under attack; and less well known when I needed someone whose gut instinct I trusted better than my own.
To say we were partners would never capture the nature of our relationship. There was nothing formal about it. We met and talked regularly. Rules of protocol were cast aside. Debates were had which could be fierce. But once concluded, the common line was kept.
The truth is for all the difficulties and the differences and the jokes about us both and our ‘odd couple relationship’, we had developed a genuine admiration, respect and affection for each other.
Underneath what could be a fierce exterior, and a manner some undoubtedly found intimidating, beat a loving, kind and compassionate human heart. John was as good a friend as you could ever hope to have, with a deep sensitivity, even vulnerability.
He will deservedly occupy a special place in the pantheon of the Labour leadership; he will be mourned by his many friends and fans around the world and for me personally, today is a day of profound sadness but also immense pride in having known him and worked with him: a great man and great servant of country and party.
Tony Blair ‘devastated’ by death of Prescott
Labour former prime minister Sir Tony Blair said he was “devastated” by the death of Lord Prescott, and described his deputy as “one of the most talented people I ever encountered in politics”.
Blair said:
Although we all knew that the end was approaching and was inevitable, I am devastated by John’s passing. He was one of the most talented people I ever encountered in politics; one of the most committed and loyal; and definitely the most unusual.
There was nothing about John which fitted conventional wisdom. He was from proud traditional working class stock yet understood instinctively and completely the aspirations of that class and their desire to better themselves.
He was liberal and tolerant, yet instantly intolerant of any overly liberal middle class dismissal of the misery suffered by poor inner city communities from crime and drug abuse. He could talk in the bluntest and sometimes bluest language, but it concealed a first rate intellect which meant he thought as deeply about issues as much as he cared about them.
It is no exaggeration to say the Labour Party could never have won three consecutive full terms without John. He was a commanding presence. He represented the wing of the party which was not New Labour, but he did it in a way which never reduced the effectiveness of our appeal and indeed extended it, broadening the base of our support.
He had extraordinary accomplishments: he revived many of Britain’s inner cities, was responsible for the refurbishment of thousands of council homes, the revival of British shipping, completed the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, established the Coalfield Communities Trust to breathe life back into villages and towns affected by the closure of mines; and was Britain’s lead negotiator for the Kyoto climate treaty, the world’s first attempt to agree a global response to climate change.
Martin Belam
Speaking on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme, the BBC’s political editor Chris Mason described John Prescott as a piece of “blunt grit” among the “slick middle class polish of New Labour.”
He told listeners Prescott was “proudly working class, proud of his trade union background, and proud to bind his party’s past with its present.”
Mason quoted former prime minister Tony Blair in his memoirs, recalling of Prescott that “he could be maddening, he could be dangerous, he could be absurd, he could be magnificent, [but] never dull, placid, uneventful, forgettable.”
Jon Trickett, the MP for Yorkshire County, wrote on X a short while ago:
“John Prescott was a Labour giant. I knew him well. V sad to hear of his passing. Mining communities owe him a debt for settling the enormous claim for industrial injuries. In my constit over 10000 families received compensation which amounted to £100m plus Thank you my mate.”
Here is Keir Starmer’s tribute on X in full: He wrote:
“I am deeply saddened to hear of the death of John Prescott.
John was a true giant of the Labour movement. He was a staunch defender of working people and a proud trade unionist. During a decade as deputhy Prime Minister, he was one of the key architects of a Labour Government that transformed the lives of millions of people across the nation.
So much of John’s work set the path for those of us fortunate enough to follow. From leading climate negotiations to fighting regional inequality, his legacy will live on well beyond his lifetime.
Across the Labour Party and the union movement he will be remembered for his conviction, courage and strength of character. His passion , force of personality and pride in his working-class roots was key to his authenticity – an honesty that was recognised and respected across the political divide and across the nation.
On behalf of the Labour Party, I send my condolences to Pauline and all his family, to the city of Hull which he served as MP for forty years, and to all those who knew and loved him. May he rest in peace.
Kair Starmer: Prescott was ‘true giant of Labour’
British prime minister Keir Starmer says he is “deeply saddened” to hear that Prescott has died, and called him a “true giant of Labour”.
In a statement on X, he said, “I am deeply saddened to hear of the death of John Prescott. John was a true giant of the Labour movement. On behalf of the Labour Party, I send my condolences to Pauline and his family, to the city of Hull, and to all those who knew and loved him. May he rest in peace.”
Al Gore: Prescott ‘fought like hell’ for Kyoto Protocol on climate change
Former US vice-president Al Gore, who worked with John Prescott on the Kyoto protocol climate change agreement in 1997, said he had “never worked with anyone in politics – on my side of the pond or his – quite like John Prescott”.
Gore said in a statement:
He possessed an inherent ability to connect with people about the issues that mattered to them – a talent that others spend years studying and cultivating, but that was second nature to him.
He fought like hell to negotiate the Kyoto Protocol and was an unwavering champion of climate action for decades to come. I’m forever grateful to John for that commitment to solving the climate crisis and will miss him as a dear friend.”
Maria Eagle, the Labour MP for Liverpool Garston, described John Prescott as a great Labour deputy leader.
She recalled his work for the relatives of those who lost their lives in the sinking of the MV Derbyshire in 1980.
In a post on X, she wrote: “I’ll always remember what he did for the MV Derbyshire families, insisting on work that led to the vindication of their deceased relatives, who they felt had been blamed for the sinking.”
When Labour won the election in 2007 with Blair as PM, Prescott, in addition to being made deputy PM, was put in charge of a new “super ministry” covering the environment, transport and the regions.
In that role he was credited with a number of successes, including helping to negotiate the international Kyoto Protocol on climate change and creating regional development councils as well as reforms to the transport system.
East Hull MP Karl Turner has released a statement on Prescott’s death. Turner has known Prescott all of his life, he said, and knows “first-hand the impact that he had on many thousands of people across the city and the country.”
Prescott played an instrumental role in negotiating the Kyoto protocol on climate change, Turner recalls.
Times radio breakfast host Stig Abel described Prescott on X as, “One of the most colourful, memorable politicians of our lifetimes. A man everyone can conjure in their minds immediately, and you can’t say that about many politicians any more.”
Born in Prestatyn in Wales on 31 May 1938 the son of a railwayman, Prescott left school at the age of 15 to work as a trainee chef and then as a steward on the Cunard Line before entering politics.
In a private letter in 2007, Blair said his former deputy’s role “smoothing out problems, sorting out colleagues and troubleshooting” 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.”
Prescott served as deputy PM for 10 years
Over a parliamentary career spanning more than half a century, Prescott served for 10 years as deputy prime minister after Labour’s 1997 general election landslide.
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.
But during much of his time in office, he acted as a mediator in the often turbulent relationship between Tony Blair and his chancellor, Gordon Brown.
He also oversaw the environment, transport and the regions, a brief that included helping to negotiate the international Kyoto protocol on climate change.
Prescott was a loyal supporter of Blair 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.
Prescott served in parliament for 40 years
In their statement, Prescott’s family said that representing Hull for 40 years in parliament was the former deputy PM’s “greatest honour”.
The statement reads, in part:
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.”
Opening summary
The former British deputy prime minister John Prescott has died aged 86, his family announced on Thursday morning.
His family said he had “spent his life trying to improve the lives of others, fighting for social justice and protecting the environment”.
“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,” they said.
“He did so surrounded by the love of his family and the jazz music of Marian Montgomery.
Prescott served in Parliament for 40 years, eventually becoming deputy prime minister under Tony Blair.
After leaving office along with Blair in 2007, he became increasingly critical of the New Labour legacy, denouncing Britain’s involvement in the Iraq War.
More shortly.
Source: politics.einnews.com…
Leave a Reply