Tony Blair and Gordon Brown pay tribute to 'working class hero' at John Prescott's funeral

Former premier ministers Sir Tony Blair and Gordon Brown person paid tribute to a “working people hero” who “rose to the highest ranks of the land” astatine the ceremonial of Lord John Prescott.

Senior figures from past and existent Labour governments gathered astatine Hull Minster connected Thursday to retrieve the erstwhile lawman premier curate who died successful November aged 86.

The ceremonial cortege included a Jaguar hearse and limousine, successful a motion to Lord Prescott’s nickname “two Jags”, and Sir Tony and Mr Brown joked successful their eulogies astir the celebrated incidental successful the 2001 wide predetermination run erstwhile helium punched a antheral who threw an ovum astatine him.

Lord Prescott’s coffin was carried into the minster arsenic erstwhile Downing Street manager of communications Alastair Campbell played the Welsh nationalist anthem connected the bagpipes.

Mr Brown paid tribute to Lord Prescott arsenic a “working people hero” who “kept the amusement connected the roadworthy during hard times”.

Giving the archetypal eulogy astatine the service, helium said: “We volition ne'er spot his similar again. A antheral of the radical helium surely was, successful a people by himself, a one-off. One of a benignant but 1 of us, successful the champion consciousness of the word.

“Unique, remarkable, extraordinary. John Lennon would person called him a moving people hero, and not slightest due to the fact that helium risked appearing connected Gavin And Stacey, seen by millions, arsenic Nessa’s rejected suitor.

“John was a antheral of the radical due to the fact that helium could link with people, and I don’t conscionable mean that antheral successful Rhyl who dared to hurl an ovum astatine him.

“John could link with radical who had not lone encountered him successful the media, but knew helium was connected their side.

“The John you saw successful Hull and the John you saw astatine location was the John you saw successful Downing Street, and the crushed is helium was ne'er acrophobic to basal up for what helium believed, and for the radical it was his life’s enactment to serve.”

Sir Tony joked with the congregation astir the “pandemonium” that ensued aft “the punch” successful the 2001 wide predetermination campaign.

He recalled ringing his lawman with reluctance and asking him to apologise.

Sir Tony said helium got the reply: “The reply is no, I’m not bloody apologising and that’s the extremity of it.”

The erstwhile PM said: “Classic.”

He said helium watched the footage again precocious and was “cheering him on”.

Sir Tony Blair told the congregation: “It’s close that we observe his life. He played a immense portion successful the affairs of Government but I privation to observe him besides arsenic a man, a bully man, a antheral who started arsenic my governmental spouse and became my idiosyncratic friend.

“You volition miss him, we volition miss him, but I anticipation if John’s looking down connected us, and not already successful heavy dialog with St Peter implicit the accommodation, I anticipation helium volition spot successful this immense gathering today, a designation of that moving people lad from a tiny Welsh town, who roseate to the highest ranks of the onshore by merit, by graft, by greatness of courageousness and character, and helium volition consciousness deservedly astatine peace.”

Lord Prescott’s lad David told the funeral: “He was a antheral who spent his beingness overcoming challenges and helping others,” adding: “Prescott was ever astatine your service.”

He described however the “bolshy ex-waiter” became lawman premier curate and talked astir his household life.

He besides spoke astir his father’s last days successful a attraction home, thanking each the carers and unit who looked aft him.

Mr Prescott finished his eulogy with the code Lord Prescott gave to the East Hull Labour Party successful 1968 arsenic helium pitched to beryllium the section MP, saying: “John ever had the past word.”

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner work the poem Here by Hull-based writer Philip Larkin, and Sir Keir Starmer work from Psalm 107.

Hosted by the Rev Canon Dominic Black, the work included singing from the Choral-Hull children’s choir, made up of pupils crossed the city.

More than 300 household members, friends and colleagues were invited. Labour-linked attendees included Chancellor Rachel Reeves and politician of London Sadiq Khan, and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper arrived with her hubby Ed Balls.

Former location caput Baroness Jacqui Smith, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle were among the archetypal to arrive, followed by Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle.

Lord Prescott, who served arsenic lawman premier curate nether Sir Tony betwixt 1997 and 2007, died connected November 20 past twelvemonth successful a nursing location wherever helium had been surviving with Alzheimer’s.

In lieu of flowers, the household requested donations for Alzheimer’s Research UK.