John Prescott, the former British deputy prime minister, has died at 86.

John Prescott, the former British Deputy Prime Minister, has passed away at the age of 86, as confirmed by his family. His death marks the end of a significant chapter in British politics; Prescott was a prominent figure in New Labour and served under Tony Blair from 1997 to 2007. His tenure was characterized by a commitment to social justice and environmental advocacy, which resonated with many constituents . Diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease prior to his death, Prescott's family noted that he died peacefully surrounded by loved ones.

He scorned what he called "the beautiful people" - the men in smart suits with red roses and mobile phones who became the new face of Labour.

Yet he was an important figure in the campaign to sell modernisation to the party and pave the way for Labour to regain power after 18 years in opposition with Tony Blair's historic landslide victory in 1997.

Towards the end of his political career, a series of embarrassments - including an affair and allegations of ministerial impropriety - threatened to tarnish his salt-of-the-earth image.

Prescott was a key figure of Tony Blair’s New Labour project, seen by many as custodian of the party’s traditional values in the face of a modernising leadership.

He was ennobled in 2010 and introduced to the upper chamber as Lord Prescott of Kingston upon Hull having served for four decades as an MP for the city.

It was John Smith who kick-started Labour's slow return to power, overturning many of the party's most cherished principles in a drive to make it electable again.

John Prescott, with his strong union links and no-nonsense approach, offered vital support, not least in the abolition of the union block vote that had been Labour policy for years.

When Tony Blair became leader, following John Smith's untimely death in 1994, he too recognised the importance of keeping John Prescott on board.

Blair once praised his "unique blend of charm and brutality" as vital to keeping the government together.

Prescott, who retired from the House of Lords earlier this year, had suffered a stroke in 2019 and was living with Alzheimer’s disease.

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Sarah H 

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