John Prescott dies aged 86

The UK has woken up to the news that former UK Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has sadly passed away at the age of 86 on November 20 2024.

His family confirmed the sad news that John Prescott had lost his battle with Alzheimer’s and that he died peacefully with his loved ones around him at his care home.  In a heartfelt statement released by his wife Pauline and sons Johnathan and David, they said: “We are deeply saddened to inform you that our beloved husband, father and grandfather, John Prescott, passed away peacefully at the age of 86.”

They went on to offer their gratitude to the amazing NHS doctors and nurses who cared for Mr Prescott after his stroke in 2019, and to the dedicated care home staff who looked after him during his later years while living with Alzheimer’s.

Where was former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott from?

John Prescott was born in Wales in 1938 and was the son of a railwayman.  He left school at the tender age of 15 and began working as a trainee chef, before joining the Merchant Navy.  Here, he served as a steward, working for Cunard and found himself with a very famous passenger on one of his voyages; none other than Prime Minister Anthony Eden who was recuperating after his resignation over the Suez Crisis.

His foray into politics began in 1970 when he was elected to the House of Commons as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Kingston upon Hull East.  His family have spoken fondly about this position, sharing, “John dearly loved his home in Hull, and representing its people in parliament for 40 years was his greatest honour.”

When was John Prescott Deputy Prime Minister?

Of course, the position that most people will remember him for is that of deputy prime minister, which he was appointed to following Labour’s victory in the 1997 election under Tony Blair.  As the head of the newly created Department for Environment, Transport and the Regions, he was given an extensive portfolio. Famous for being a traditionalist, Mr Prescott could be extremely outspoken and short-tempered at times, demonstrating his passion for politics, which led to him serving as Deputy Prime Minister for 10 years.

Speaking about the sad news, former Prime Minister Tony Blair expressed that he was “devastated’ by Mr Prescott’s death and described his deputy as “one of the most talented people I ever encountered in politics”.

Sadly, statistics indicate that around 982,000 people are living with Alzheimer’s in the UK alone.  It was the leading cause of death in the UK in 2022 and John Prescott’s family have asked that “in lieu of flowers and if you wish to do so, you can donate to Alzheimer’s Research UK.”