UK former deputy PM John Prescott dies aged 86

Tony Blair leads tributes to ‘incredibly direct’ deputy, known for not pulling his punches – connected 1 occasion, literally.

Britain’s erstwhile Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has died pursuing a conflict with Alzheimer’s, his household announced.

Prescott, an ex-merchant seaman who became a cardinal fig successful Tony Blair’s New Labour government, died “peacefully” successful a attraction location astatine the property of 86, his household said connected Thursday.

Blair, premier curate betwixt 1997 and 2007, led tributes to his erstwhile deputy, calling him an “incredibly nonstop communicator” and adding that determination was “no 1 rather similar him successful British politics”.

Speaking connected the BBC’s Today programme, Blair said Prescott, known for his gritty, no-nonsense benignant marque of politics, had a “fantastic gut instinct ” and that helium held a “huge, genuine affection for him”.

Prescott, a salient commercialized unionist arrogant of his working-class roots, was viewed by galore arsenic a span betwixt Labour Party traditionalists and Blair’s revamped New Labour, which promoted a “Third Way” betwixt centre-left societal argumentation and centre-right capitalism.

Prescott, who was often lampooned by the media for mispronouncing words oregon making grammatical mistakes – a trait that galore said belied his fierce intellect – was nicknamed “Two Jags” for having 2 luxury Jaguar cars: 1 personal, 1 for ministerial duties.

Criticised for utilizing the ministerial car for a 180-metre (200-yard) travel backmost to his edifice astatine the 1999 Labour conference, helium claimed – with his emblematic bluntness – that it was to forestall his woman Pauline’s hairsbreadth from being blown astir successful the wind.

Campaigning for the 2001 wide election, helium punched a antheral who threw an ovum astatine him, an incidental that generated headlines astir the satellite and prompted journalists to amend his nickname to “two jabs”.

Asked successful a quality league the adjacent time astir the assault, Blair said: “John is John.”

John Prescott (left), known arsenic a Labour Party traditionalist with beardown roots successful the commercialized national movement, greets erstwhile Labour person Jeremy Corbyn during a wide predetermination run lawsuit successful Kingston upon Hull, England, successful 2017 [File: Oli Scarff/AFP]

Blair told the Today programme that, portion immoderate criticised Prescott’s behaviour, “there were different radical saying ‘yeah, but helium had this ovum slammed connected his caput and helium turned astir and whacked the guy’, and a batch of radical think, ‘well, just enough’.”

Prime Minister Keir Starmer lauded Prescott arsenic “a staunch defender of moving people”, who would beryllium remembered for his “conviction, courage, and spot of character”.

“So overmuch of John’s enactment acceptable the way for those of america fortunate capable to follow. From starring clime negotiations to warring determination inequality, his bequest volition unrecorded connected good beyond his lifetime,” said Starmer.

Prescott was calved connected May 31, 1938, successful the seaside municipality of Prestatyn successful Wales, rising from his humble beginnings arsenic the lad of a railway signalman and a maid done the commercialized national movement.

He studied authorities astatine Oxford’s Ruskin College arsenic a mature student, aboriginal serving arsenic lawman premier curate passim Blair’s decennary successful office.

Though helium near Wales erstwhile helium was four, helium ever considered himself Welsh.

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Al Jazeera and quality agencies