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.

A thread asking people to argue one way or the other about something. Obviously.
This is not asking for that.
You do ask some pretty daft questions.

That doesn’t at all say being on the right is an insult. It’s saying both being on the right and nasty is unpleasant. Heseltine is on the fight. He’s been very gracious about Prescott, as have other (older) right wing politicians.
If someone doesn’t want to be seen as nasty, they should avoid being nasty.
It wasn’t just you anyway. It was people being ungracious and unpleasant, most of whom definitely are on the right because I’ve encountered them elsewhere.

One slightly niche thing I remember about Prescott is he played a part in tightening up electrical regulations after the death of Jenny Tonge's daughter (she was electrocuted by faulty house wiring).

He got flak for that IIRC because some people wanted the right to bodge electrical work in their own home.

I don't know why that fact has stuck in my head!

Back in the day, I worked on some of his projects for regeneration. He was always well informed, realistic and incredibly supportive as a force for change. His was a life, not without flaws, but full of purpose that created improvements for many.

Andy Burnham

John was our voice.

He made us feel we had a right to be in Westminster.

He was the first to give the North of England a political profile and paved the way for the devolution of powers to it.

He made politics real and lifted the lives of millions.

He was Our John.

RIP

https://bsky.app/profile/andyburnham.bsky.social/post/3lbh5ulihic2v

Speaking of daft, your response appears pretty argumentative.

Well, its better than his left hook being stuck in your head!

It would be very helpful to have an approved list of sports and hobbies for each social class. I look forward to seeing it. Can't have anybody doing things above their station now, can we?

I need to learn not to respond to you. You immediately take threads off topic to serve your own ends.
This thread is to recognise the life of John Prescott, a colossus of politics and far more forward think8ng than he got credit for in his life. He was a conviction politician with real passion. We need more like him.

John Major and David Cameron have done just that. What we have remember is that politicians are people. The tear downs of politics don’t matter when someone is dead. It merely reflects on the person doing it.

I read about him meeting a family looking at Number 10 through the security gates and he invited them in and gave them a guided tour of the building.
Very rare these days for anyone in parliament to have had a 'proper job' before becoming an MP.

With hindsight - he compares favourably with the current cabinet.

We can agree on that, at least.

A very smart , sharp and down to earth politician who said what he thought and unlike others I don't think he ever forgot his roots- yes he liked the nice things in life, but so do most working class people I've met and known who make a bob or two. RIP John

Perhaps you'll believe Pauline Prescott herself. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1252552/Pauline-Prescott-tells-life-changing-moment-finally-met-lost-son-Paul.html

‘Who was my father?’
I found myself speaking the name of the American airman that I had never even told John.
I explained how we’d met on a blind date but that his father didn’t tell me he was married with a child. When I found out, he promised to marry me.
‘Then what?’
‘He disappeared. Some officers at the base told my mother they didn’t know anyone by that name. Later, they admitted he’d flown back to the States. I wrote to him at an address he’d given me but I never heard from him again.’

Oh this is lovely.

@chowtime

Your post with a horrible accusation, followed by a doubling down when you were shown to be wrong, on a thread about someone who just died is distasteful at best. And tbh really fucking odd.

Priti Patel posted a nice tribute. She seems to be the only one of the shadow cabinet but I appreciate that she did it.

He was once staying in a hotel in Chester where we were visiting with a group of friends. He was unfailingly pleasant and charming to everyone who approached him, even when he was trying to eat his breakfast. He was retired from politics by then so no real need to try and please an electorate.

It is.

Love that

The man deserved it.

RIP

I met him several times when I worked in the HoC many years ago. First occasion, was introduced and he said “you don’t want to work ‘ere, luv “. 😁
RIP Mr. Prescott.

It really, really wasn’t, the child’s had already been born when they met.

I always thought him a buffoon promoted way beyond his abilities. RIP anyway.

Your preachy judgements on this thread are unnecessary, innappropriate and, in the circumstances, quite vulgar. Please go away.

You cannot police the threads I’m afraid.

If you think the PP has broken the house rules, feel free to report them.