LAST UPDATE | 20 hrs ago

FORMER UK DEPUTY prime minister John Prescott has died aged 86 following a battle with Alzheimer’s, his family has announced.

His family said he had “spent his life trying to improve the lives of others, fighting for social justice and protecting the environment”.

The former trade union activist and ex-merchant seaman died “peacefully” and surrounded by relatives at his care home, they said.

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.

Blair said he was “devastated” by Prescott’s death, adding: “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.”

Blair continued: “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.”

In a statement released after Prescott’s death, his wife Pauline and sons Johnathan and David said that representing the people of Hull had been “his greatest honour”.

“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.

“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.

“As you can imagine, our family needs to process our grief so we respectfully request time and space to mourn in private. Thank you.”

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer described Prescott as a “true giant” of the Labour Party.

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. pic.twitter.com/evQe4GBoI9

— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) November 21, 2024

Former US vice president Al Gore, who worked with 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.”

Prescott was introduced to the House of Lords as Baron Prescott of Kingston upon Hull having served for four decades as an MP for the city.

He ceased to be a member in July this year after facing health difficulties.

He had only spoken once in the chamber since suffering a stroke in 2019, official records show, and had not voted since February 2023.

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.

Speaking on BBC Radio Four this morning, Blair recalled this infamous moment.

“I was just thinking this morning about 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.’

“And other people said … ‘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.’

“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.

But during much of his time in office, he acted as a mediator in the often turbulent relationship between Blair and chancellor Gordon Brown.

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.

His successor, Gordon Brown, today said “former boxer” Prescott was “key to holding the ring and keeping things together during difficult times such as over Iraq”.

He added: “John Lennon said the the working class hero is a difficult thing to be, but I think John would be just fine with being remembered that way.

“He wanted the good things in life for everyone and not just himself. And he showed that Britain can be a country where if you work hard you can fill your potential.”

Prescott also strongly defended Jeremy Corbyn during his time as party leader in the face of fierce criticism.

John Prescott in his office, 1992 Alamy Alamy

Born in Prestatyn in Wales on May 31 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 trouble-shooting” had been an “integral part of getting things done”.

The former British 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.”