Categories: World

John Prescott, Former UK Deputy Prime Minister, Dies at 86

Europe|John Prescott, Ex-Deputy Prime Minister of Britain, Dies at 86

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/21/world/europe/john-prescott-uk-dead.html

You have a preview view of this article while we are checking your access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will load.

Mr. Prescott was a waiter on cruise ships before rising through the trade union movement and entering politics. He became one of the country’s best-known politicians under Tony Blair.

John Prescott in London in 1998.Credit…Michael Crabtree/PA Images, via Getty Images

John Prescott, who rose through Britain’s trade union movement to become one of the country’s best-known politicians and serve as deputy prime minister for a decade, has died. He was 86.

In a statement on social media, his family said he died peacefully on Wednesday, “surrounded by the love of his family and the jazz music of Marian Montgomery.” The statement noted that he had suffered a stroke in 2019 and had latterly been living with Alzheimer’s disease.

Plain-speaking and proudly working class, Mr. Prescott served as a visible link to Labour’s traditional origins when the party came to power in 1997 under the modernizing leadership of Tony Blair.

In government, Mr. Prescott championed environmental causes — playing a key role in international climate negotiations — and worked hard to shift power from London to the English regions.

More important for Labour, he helped defuse internal tensions between Mr. Blair and his chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, a rival who would eventually become Mr. Blair’s successor. At the time, Mr. Prescott was jokingly referred to as the political equivalent of a marriage guidance counselor.

Image

Gordon Brown, left, then the chancellor of the Exchequer; John Prescott, center, then deputy prime minister; and Tony Blair, prime minister at the time, at the Labour Party conference in 2006.Credit…John Stillwell/PA Images via Reuters

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.


Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber? Log in.

Want all of The Times? Subscribe.

gcommunitytv@gmail.com

Share
Published by
gcommunitytv@gmail.com

Recent Posts

South Korean team develops ‘Iron Man’ robot that helps paraplegics walk

Kim Seung-hwan, who is himself a paraplegic and part of the Exoskeleton Laboratory team at…

25 mins ago

Angela Simmons still dating rapper Yo Gotti?

Angela Simmons still dating rapper Yo Gotti?Angela Simmons is reportedly still in a relationship with…

25 mins ago

Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni’s Legal Battle Set To Go To Trial

Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni's Legal Battle Set To Go To TrialBlake Lively’s recently filed legal…

25 mins ago

Hugh Jackman’s kids’ feelings over welcoming his new girlfriend revealed

Hugh Jackman's kids' feelings over welcoming his new girlfriend revealedHugh Jackman’s children Oscar and Ava…

25 mins ago

Stray Kids achieves milestone on Billboard 200

Stray Kids achieves milestone on Billboard 200Stray Kids recently achieved milestone on the Billboard 200…

2 hours ago

King Charles faces dilemma as monarch set to address Prince Andrew’s latest scandal

King Charles faces dilemma as monarch set to address Prince Andrew's latest scandalKing Charles expected…

2 hours ago