Former Labour prime ministers Gordon Brown and Sir Tony Blair have led tributes to “working class hero” Lord Prescott at his funeral.
The good and the great of the Labour Occasion remembered the UK’s longest-serving deputy prime minister, who died in November aged 86 after a battle with Alzheimer’s.
The funeral cortege included a Jaguar hearse and limousine, in a nod to Lord Prescott’s nickname “two Jags”.
Sir Keir Starmer and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner gave readings as former cupboard ministers and present MPs gave their last goodbye to the Labour stalwart.
Politics newest: ‘John was guardian of the occasion’s conscience’
Picture:
Lord Prescott is the UK’s longest-serving deputy prime minister
Each Sir Tony, who Lord Prescott was deputy for, and Gordon Brown gave eulogies at Hull Minster, within the metropolis the place he served as an MP for 40 years till he was given a peerage in 2010.
Mr Brown, who was prime minister from 2007-2010, hailed a “life lived to the full”, which “touched the lives and changed the lives of millions who may never have met John but are today better off because of him”.
He known as Lord Prescott a “working-class hero” who “kept the show on the road during difficult times”.
Picture:
The funeral cortege included a Jaguar hearse and limousine, in a nod to Lord Prescott’s nickname ‘two Jags’. Pic: PA
“We will never see his like again. A man of the people he certainly was, in a class by himself, a one-off,” Mr Brown stated.
“One of a kind but one of us, in the best sense of the word.”
He additionally reminded mourners of his cameo in Gavin & Stacey – “seen by millions” – as Nessa’s rejected suitor.
And, in reference to the notorious incident the place Lord Prescott punched a person who threw an egg at him, he stated: “John was a man of the people because he could connect with people, and I don’t just mean that man in Rhyl who dared to hurl an egg at him.”
He stated Lord Prescott, who got here from little or no, believed within the “goodness in everyone…even that egg-thrower in Wales”.
Sir Tony additionally shared some anecdotes, recalling the “pandemonium” that ensued after “the punch” within the 2001 normal election marketing campaign.
Spreaker
This content material is offered by Spreaker, which can be utilizing cookies and different applied sciences.
To point out you this content material, we want your permission to make use of cookies.
You should utilize the buttons under to amend your preferences to allow Spreaker cookies or to permit these cookies simply as soon as.
You may change your settings at any time through the Privateness Choices.
Sadly we now have been unable to confirm when you have consented to Spreaker cookies.
To view this content material you need to use the button under to permit Spreaker cookies for this session solely.
Allow Cookies
Enable Cookies As soon as
👉Hearken to Politics At Jack And Sam’s in your podcast app👈
He stated he known as his deputy with reluctance to ask him to apologise, however Lord Prescott instructed him: “The answer is no, I’m not bloody apologising and that’s the end of it.”
The previous PM stated: “Classic”.
He stated he watched the footage once more just lately and was “cheering him on”.
Picture:
Keir Starmer gave a studying. Pic: PA
Picture:
Former dwelling secretary Jacqui Smith with Ed Miliband and Labour MPs strolling to the funeral service. Pic: PA
Sir Tony instructed the congregation he “played a huge part” in authorities however was additionally “a good man, a man who started as my political partner and became my personal friend”.
“I hope he will see in this vast gathering today, a recognition of that working-class boy from a small Welsh town, who rose to the highest ranks of the land by merit, by graft, by greatness of courage and character, and he will feel deservedly at peace.”
Considered one of Lord Prescott’s two sons, David, instructed the funeral: “He was a man who spent his life overcoming challenges and helping others.”
He added: “Prescott was always at your service.”
He described how the “bolshy ex-waiter” turned deputy PM and talked about his father’s last days in a care dwelling, thanking all of the carers and workers who sorted him.
In lieu of flowers, the Prescott household requested donations for Alzheimer’s Analysis UK.
