John Prescott RIP

[Zonder]

Whatever your political leaning, it's a sad day for politics. Sad to hear Gordon Brown just now on radio 4 describe him as a Colossus then to hear that he died in a care home with Alzheimer's. Hard to imagine.
Still remembered who people were to the end and kept his warmth and friendliness.

Was just reading his obituary. Mediating between Blair and Brown must have been a full time job on occasions but I'd forgotten about him swimming the Thames to raise awareness about the government's policy of dumping waste at sea. Or his involvement with the Channel Tunnel. And I had no idea that he left school with qualifications but studied throughout his 20s.

I'm sure he'll be remembered for the gaffes, the punch & the 2 jags but he led a much more interesting life than that.

Definitely.

And Gavin and Stacey, don't forget!

I think he forgot his roots and his behaviour on a personal level was pretty grim at times.
It's a sad day for those who loved him, but I'm not sure I agree it's a sad day for politics.

Best to stay off an RIP thread if you can't say anything nice.

I love his wife Pauline, she adored her position as a political wife. They both enjoyed the spoils of his career, unabashedly. So sad for her loss and for the last few years coping with his alzheimers.

A very effective man! I think his work on the environment and the Kyoto Protocol with Al Gore is forgotten a bit.

For Labour being successful in 1997 he was absolutely key. DPN for 10 years. It’s the kind of stability that we haven’t had in recent years.

He did a lot with his life. Whatever your politics I think you can admire that.

Very sad news. I didn't know he had Alzheimer's, what a shame.

Could not stand his politics, nor his penchant for violence but RIP.

Did he really forget his roots? He was the driving force behind the regeneration of the Preston Road estate (which was in his constituency)

During his time as deputy PM I used to work in a Hull city centre restaurant- it wasn't fancy (it was a chain like Pizza express) and he'd come in with his wife and family, would wait in the bar for a table like everyone else and would take time to chat to the staff. He'd ask about jobs, studying etc. He was genuinely interested in the people of Hull and what mattered to us.

Didnt he cheat on her at one point?

I heard Gordon Brown and Tony Blair. Interesting to hear that JP did good work with Al Gore and the Kyoto Protocol.
Often politicians are remembered for surface things and we, at least I, need to be reminded of excellent and effective things which they have done, but which get lost at the backs of our minds.

Yes Gore has paid tribute to him this morning.

RIP

Yes i used to work for Kingston Communications and spent a lot of time in Hull, Telephone House & Salverson way, people genuinely liked him.

He never forgot his roots at all & the guy he punched? so what? he defended himself admirably, don't want to get shot, don't fly with the crows.

Yes. Many a marriage has a wobble and survives.

Survives being the operative word.

William Hague has just said some words about it. They both came from Rotherham, which I didn’t know.

@Zonder I'd rather be truthful than nice. You can't police a thread about a politician, to sanitise the reality of who they were, just because they've died.

@NerrSnerr I was thinking about the expenses claims for his mock Tudor beans and having to repay the council tax on his grace and favour home that he'd paid from public money iirc. And that's before you get into the cheating on his wife and the questions around public money linked to that.

Very well said @ABirdsEyeView

Ah, the land of cream telephone boxes, the bit BT never got...

I loved him for the punching thing, it was a totally natural thing to do - what most blokes would do in that circumstance - he wasn't polished, he was just him!

RIP

Its an RIP thread, if you wish to start a thread on the character of JP, feel free to start one.

Pretty grim that those on the 'right have to be so nasty and offensive, especially given the manner of his last few years but its no surprise.

He was a trained boxer…

Yes a council run Telecoms company that went country wide and made millions for the Hull area.

Shame they had to sell it, KC was very well run pre sell off, it then went downhill rapidly after that, its a small outfit now.

I disagree.

An obituary has to be honest - I dont see any nastiness here, and how do you ascertain people’s political leanings?