Former British prime minister and ardent socialist John Prescott passes away at the age of 86

FORMER British deputy prime minister John Prescott who served in Tony Blair's Labour government for 10 years between 1997 and 2007  has passed away at the age of 86 at a care home in Yorkshire.

An ardent socialist who championed the cause of the British working class, Mr Prescott, tried to resuscitate public services, especially transport,  while in office. Mr Blair said who appointed working-class Prescott into a combined portfolio made up of environment and transport to help appease the Labour left as he moved the party to the centre ground, said he was devastated at the death.

Mr Blair added: “There was no one quite like him in British politics.” Mr Prescott's family, issued a terse statement saying: “We are deeply saddened to inform you that our beloved husband, father and grandfather, John Prescott, passed away yesterday (Wednesday) at the age of 86.”

Keir Starmer, who became Labour’s first prime minister since 2010 after a landslide general election win in July, called Mr Prescott a true giant of the Labour movement. Mr Prescott, a former merchant seaman and trade union activist who served as a member of parliament for Hull in northern England for four decades, died peacefully at a care home, according to his wife Pauline and two sons.

Mr Starmer added: “He was a staunch defender of working people and a proud trade unionist. During a decade as deputy 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.”

Mr Prescott, who was appointed to the House of Lords, suffered a stroke in 2019 and had been suffering from Alzheimer’s. He stopped being a member of the upper chamber of parliament in July because of his health problems.

Plain-speaking, Mr Prescott served for 10 years as Mr Blair’s deputy following Labour’s landslide 1997 general election victory. During a campaign stop in north Wales he famously punched a protester who threw an egg at him.

Mr Prescott also acted as a mediator between Blair and his finance minister Gordon Brown, who also helmed the transformation of Labour in the 1990s and who had designs on power. While in office, his brief included the environment and transport, as well as leading negotiations for Britain at the international Kyoto Protocol on climate change.

In a 2007 letter to Mr Prescott, Mr Blair said that he saw his role as smoothing out colleagues and sorting out colleagues and trouble-shooting. According to Mr Blair, the completely unique Prescott blend of charm and brutality got him through the decade, kept the government together and above all, gave him a lot of fun.