John Prescott

Handsome_Chris

John Prescott, Baron Prescott of Kingston upon Hull, has passed after a battle with Alzheimer's disease. 

Born in Prestatyn, Wales, John Prescott was the son of a railway signalman. He left school at 15 and worked as a ship's steward, during which time he became active in the National Union of Seamen. He then went to Ruskin College and the University of Hull, where he earned a degree in economics and economic history. 

Prescott's political career began in earnest when he was elected as the Labour Member of Parliament for Kingston upon Hull East in 1970, a position he held for 40 years. Known for his forthright manner and punching someone for throwing an egg at him. 

I liked him and thought that he was one of our more honest politicians.  I believe that he had two Jaguars too.

Edit: The car, not the animal.

StefB

Handsome_Chris said:

I believe that he had two Jaguars too.

The gutter press didn't like to mention those though.

dazzajl

Hits me in the feels this one. Agree with him or not, I would always make the time to listen to him and was a big part of the last decent government we had (yes, until they weren’t!)

Feels like a bad omen for Jaaaaaag

guitars4you

Straight talker - more to like about him then many other slime ball  MPs  - Plenty of character

I prefer his route to Westminster compared to the molly cuddled silver spoon approach of many others 

Was I his number 1 fan - No - But I liked his straight talking approach 

RIP big man

GoFish

Fair play to the man, he came a long way and stayed mostly on the side of those he represented. Practically unheard of by today's standards. Yeah he was used by Blair as window dressing but having his voice in that cabinet was important. Like all politicians, he leaves a complicated legacy. As a person, he could hardly have done more. RIP John

axisus

I liked him a lot. A proper Labour man. Loved it when he lamped the guy for throwing an egg at him.

He was Deputy for New Labour, the first 4 years of that time were in my opinion far and away the best job anyone has done (in my lifetime) of running the country.

Kittyfrisk

I was always cheered up by hearing John speaking. He may have been an unpolished rough hewn character, but he held genuine opinions, expressing them in a forthright way. 
To hear Michael Heseltine talking about him so respectfully & with warmth this morning was a revelation.
He was a one off from a different generation of groomed, tutored emollient politicians, RIP.

swiller

RIP. 
Classic prescott PMQs

Jalapeno

RIP Two Jags !

scrumhalf

"It was Tony's fault, he said I should connect with the voters."

A politician who had a proper job before going in to politics, we won't see many of those again.

Wazmeister

Regardless of what you think about his politics, a rare honest man and this type of politician is much missed these days.

hollywoodrox

RIP  a sad loss  

CoffeeAndTV

I saw him at Hull station once.  

I asked for a selfie he wasn’t impressed, I suggested he could pretend to punch me, he pulled a face and walked off.  I didn’t get the selfie.  

theatreanchor

CoffeeAndTV said:

I saw him at Hull station once.  

I asked for a selfie he wasn’t impressed, I suggested he could pretend to punch me, he pulled a face and walked off.  I didn’t get the selfie.  

I like it!

JCA2550

RIP 

guitars4you

swiller said:

RIP. 
Classic prescott PMQs

Excellent - more Bernard Manning (without the swearing and less Eton) - No old school tie or blazer in those messages - More northern social clubs in 'ull

dazzajl

scrumhalf said:

"It was Tony's fault, he said I should connect with the voters."

Said in an interview with Clarkson wasn’t it? Perhaps he should have said the producer threw an egg at him? 

There have been some really lovely tributes today from both sides of the house. 

maw4neu

I liked him, he genuinely seemed like a decent man and there are very few Politicians I'd say that about . . . Alzheimer's disease has claimed yet another soul . . . RIP John :-(

thumpingrug

He was my local MP for many years, and for a while when working in Hull I would often contact his constituency office for help with clients issues.  John was a good constituency MP - always doing what could to try to get the wheels of bureaucracy moving.  He visited the office I worked at a few times and showed a genuine interest in what we did and always had a warm word for the volunteers who largely staffed the service.      I ran into him about 10 years later just after Labour had got into power - it would have been 1998 at a guess - at a Labour Party conference in Bournemouth.  Again I was there representing as the local rep of the organisation, having moved to Dorset the year before.  John walked over and asked what I was doing this far south.  
I was astonished he remembered me.
He was a good bloke and certainly did not deserve the press coverage he got.

Adey

He was of the like we don't often see today or in politics - straight forward, believed in what he was doing and was trustworthy. Hwle most certainly wasn't slimy and sneaky like many politicians.

He really was a breath of fresh air and will be missed.

Offset

I liked him too.  He came across as a very straight guy and regardless of whether you agreed with his politics, many people appreciate that type of honesty.  He was the bridge that kept the left of the Labour party and Blair's centre-right government connected, and that was no mean feat.  As for the punch he administered to the egg-throwing idiot - priceless.

It's a cliche, but we really won't see his like again.

RIP JP.