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Lord John Prescott, who rose from being a steward on a cruise ship to become the longest-serving deputy prime minister, passed away at the age of 86. Tributes poured in from all over the world, with former prime ministers Gordon Brown and Sir Tony Blair leading the way. Prescott will be remembered for his many memorable moments, seven of which are included below.
In 1993, Prescott gave a stirring speech at the Labour party conference that saved the day for then leader John Smith. Smith was attempting to introduce controversial changes to select parliamentary candidates via a one-member-one-vote system. A lifelong trade unionist, Prescott managed to win over supporters with a passionate and inspiring speech. This propelled him to be elected as deputy leader within six months when Smith died.
Prescott played an important role as part of the UK delegation at the 1997 Kyoto climate conference where, after extended negotiations, the landmark Kyoto Protocol was signed, committing almost all UN member states to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. According to then US Vice President Al Gore, Prescott “fought like hell” for the agreement and was “an unwavering champion of climate action for decades to come.”
The deputy Prime Minister became famous after the 2001 general election for throwing a punch at a pro-hunting supporter who had cracked an egg on his head. Although Prescott refused to apologize after the event, the incident had little effect on his political career.
Prescott was dubbed “two Jags” by the press in 1999 after it was revealed he used two Jaguars, one being his own, as Ministerial transport. However, in 2021, he explained he had sold both cars and was embracing a more eco-friendly lifestyle.
Prescott was a massive advocate for devolution for England’s regions, but in a 2004 referendum on his plans, 78% of votes cast were against devolution. The popular opinion was that Dominic Cummings, who would later become the mastermind of the victorious Leave campaign in the 2016 Brexit referendum, had played a role in the no vote. Nevertheless, the referendum paved the way for later devolution to metro mayors, according to Andy Burnham, one of Prescott’s former Cabinet colleagues.
Prescott made a brief, comedic appearance in the hit BBC show Gavin & Stacey in 2010. Ruth Jones’ character Nessa Jenkins regularly referred to fictional previous relationships with celebrities like Prescott
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