John Prescott: The North Wales railwayman's son who rose to the top of UK politics

A North Wales born merchant sea who rose to become one of the biggest figures in British politics has died. John Prescott, a former deputy prime minister has died aged 86, following a battle with Alzheimer's, his family has confirmed.

His widow Pauline and sons Johnathan and David said that representing the people of Hull as an MP had been his "greatest honour". They said: "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.

Lord Prescott was born in Prestatyn in 1938, the son of a railway signalman and his mother came from a mining family. The former trade union activist and ship's steward moved into politics and became a key and often controversial figure in Tony Blair's new Labour Government, elected to power in 1997. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox.

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Fittingly for a man born in North Wales, one of the most famous moments in the former Hull MP's 40-year plus political career came on the campaign trail in Rhyl in 2001, when he threw a punch at a fuel protester. Prescott's threw a left-handed hook at Craig Evans, a farm worker from Denbigh, after an egg was thrown at him. The protester was later led away in handcuffs.

That moment earned him the nickname “two jabs” – a variation on “two Jags”, which referred to his fondness for luxury cars. As tributes were paid across the world of politics today, Sir Tony Blair became emotional as he recalled the incident on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

He said: “I was just thinking this morning about the the time when in the 2001 election – remember when someone smashed an egg on his head and he turned around and he punched the guy and laid him out? This caused a huge sort of fracas, this was an immense media story, and 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 can’t have a deputy prime minister thumping a voter.’

'Well John is John'

“And other people said … ‘he had this egg slammed in his head, and he turned around and and whacked the guy, and a lot of people think, Well, fair enough.’

“And so there was nothing you could do. So we had a long debate about it and finally, at the press conference, when I was asked about it, I just said, ‘Well, John is John.’

“And so was that supposed to be an answer? I said, ‘Yes, that’s an answer.’ That’s as much as you can say, and that’s what he was like, there were no rules that he really abided by.

“I feel a huge sense of loss, because it wasn’t just a political relationship. I had a profound affection for him.”

Another former prime minister Gordon Brown has described the late Lord Prescott as a “warm and friendly” man. Mr Brown recalled having talked to Lord Prescott over these last few months “when he had declining health”, and said: “Alzheimer’s is a terrible thing, but he never lost this warmth and friendliness which he showed at all times during private conversations.”

His great rival in the New Labour movement, Peter Mandelson said Lord Prescott was “absolutely impossible” to work with but “at the end of the day he wanted to make it work”.

'Absolutely impossible'

Lord Mandelson said Prescott Facetimed him last year in the last conversation they had. Lord Prescott said to him: "I just want to say that I know it was difficult and we were bloody awful to you at times and I was, but actually you did good and I want to forgive you."

Former leader of the Conservative Party Lord Hague has described his “really good relationship” with Lord Prescott. He said: "He was the sort of politician that you could really have a good laugh with and a friendly conversation with even though you knew of course that the next Question Time you would be giving each other hell. He was a great guy. I shall miss him a lot actually.”

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