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.

MyKindCrab was talking about what happened on MN.

If anyone is interested, here is the whole Huff Post article referred to. Always polite to link to the article one is quoting from, I think.

www.google.com/amp/s/www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/amp/entry/margaret-thatcher-and-the_b_3077328/

@blossomtoes Yes dementia is a terrible illness. And sadly so many people die from it.

Not specifically, but you only have look at contemporaneous media to see the level of vitriol aimed at such a great woman.

The late Prescott being remembered for marital infidelity, the left jab, the crustacean, the croquet is hardly worthy of discussion in the same thread frankly.

Thank you sweetcheeks.

@EverythingAllatOnceAllTheTime I think all women politicians get a level of misogyny thrown at them that male politicians do not. Thatcher and Raynor are prime examples.
Although I also see people claiming any criticism of a female politician is misogyny, when it is not.

Those aren’t the things most of us remember Prescott for. And certainly not the things his contemporaries in politics remember him for.

Dementia is horrible. But it was a small part of his life.

Prescott is going to be remembered personally but also for his good work in Kyoto and work as DPM I think. I don’t think Labour would have won and sustained power without him.

Thatcher had Whitelaw didn’t she? Well Blair had Prescott. Political partnerships making for effective government and use of power

I half agree with your first para, but again, I struggle to see Rayner, ahem, in the pantheon of great women.

@EverythingAllatOnceAllTheTime So misogyny is fine if a woman politician is not great?
My comment was specifically about misogyny towards all female politicians. I am not interested in debating who we think is a good politician and who is not.

Then we are in agreement!

Is that really true? On MN? I have searched for an RIP thread for MT and not found one. I've found other threads asking questions about her where not everyone has been very positive to say the least, but I can't find one actually as a tribute when she died.

I'm certainly of the opinion that in an RIP thread you say something kind or you don't say anything at all. Of course I know that a few others have their own ideas but when even Badenoch and Patel can be kind and positive it says a lot about people who need to get a dig in.

I couldn't find a MN RIP thread either @Zonder , which tells its own story, I guess.

Rayner’s achievements are considerable. Born into a level of deprivation that most of us can’t imagine, a mother at 16, no paper qualifications despite considerable intelligence, yet attaining one of the most important political positions in the country through tenacity, determination and passion for justice.

@blossomtoes True that is a very impressive rise.

A huge distinction between politicians who need to be seen to appear statesmanlike and gracious,
and anonymous MN’ers.

An absurd comparison.

It makes me proud to live in a country where it’s possible.

I do like that Prescott worked for quite a few years before entering politics. This is very rare these days, but it does I think mean those politicians better understand working life for the rest of us.

I'm very sorry to hear of his death and sad for his loved ones. I think he had a fascinating life. I don't blame him at all for punching the egger.

You omitted ‘and so ably helped by her union connections…’

Sorry for the loss of your friend.
He was a true conviction politician. Nobody can take that away.

Rayner is also at the beginning of her career in Government, few MPs are considered "Great" at this point.

Its very easy for people born into wealth to make something of their lives, its considerably harder for people like AR and JP but still the digs keep coming.

Can't believe that some people believe that it's wrong to defend yourself.

A boxer would do that instinctively. He got that egg right in the ear - it would have been painful. As my mother said at the time, he probably thought that that was blood trickling down his face.

I notice you made no reference to Thatcher’s Oxford degree and her husband’s money. 🤷‍♀️

Oh come on! Anyone who rises to become a key politician networks and makes connections. Every single politician.
Or is the term union supposed to be a scare word? Better tell my DH who is in the BMA union.

@EverythingAllatOnceAllTheTime some of the vitriol directed towards Margaret Thatcher is due to the same reasons others view her as a strong leader with great policies.
Some of the negative effects of her policies are still being felt in some communities today, decades later. You see her as a great woman, others don't, and express that view.
I can't think of any of the policies Prescott supported decimating communities in a similar way to those Thatchers did, nor people sneering at her quite as much for being 'a grocer's daughter' the way they have been about Prescott's background.