UK: Labour Party 'colossus' John Prescott dies

Former British Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, who served under Tony Blair, has died, aged 86. His working-class background made him an unusual figure in the British political landscape.

Britain's former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, who was known among other things for his work on the Kyoto Protocol climate change agreement in 1997, has died in a care home, aged 86, his family said on Thursday.

 "We are deeply saddened to inform you that our beloved husband, father and grandfather, John Prescott, passed away yesterday [Wednesday] at the age of 86," a statement read.

The family said Prescott had "spent his life trying to improve the lives of others, fighting for social justice and protecting the environment."

Prescott served as deputy prime minister to Tony Blair from 1997 to 2007 and is credited with having helped Blair to move the leftist Labour Party toward the political center by using his working-class credentials to appease members of the party further to the left.

He later was made a life peer and was appointed to the House of Lords, the upper house of Parliament, a position he gave up in July amid health problems, having had a stroke five years previously in addition to suffering from Alzheimer's disease.  

'Two Jags' — and 'two jabs'

The Welsh-born Prescott initially worked as a ship's steward and trade union activist, with the latter occupation leading to his entry into politics.

An amateur boxer in his youth, he was known for his pugnacious character and once punched a man who threw an egg at him in north Wales during the 2001 general election.

Owing to that incident, his nickname "two Jags" — a reference to him owning two luxury Jaguar cars — was optionally amended to "two jabs."

On the domestic political front, he was considered a mediator between Blair and his finance minister, Gordon Brown. 

In a letter to Prescott in 2007, Blair said he saw his deputy's role as "smoothing out colleagues and sorting out colleagues and trouble-shooting."

"The completely unique Prescott blend of charm and brutality ... got you through the decade, kept the government together and above all, gave me a lot of fun. I was lucky to have you as my deputy," Blair wrote.

In comments to the BBC, Blair said he was "devastated" by Prescott's death, and delivered an emotional tribute.

"He was one of the most talented people I ever encountered in politics, one of the most committed and loyal, and definitely the most unusual," Blair said.

Climate negotiations

Prescott has also received wide praise for his role as the leader of negotiations for Britain for the 1997 international Kyoto Protocol on climate change, where he worked together closely with Al Gore, the former US vice president and a leading environmentalist.

On learning of Prescott's death, Gore said he would be "forever grateful for his [Prescott's] commitment to solving the climate crisis."

"He fought like hell to negotiate the Kyoto Protocol and was an unwavering champion of climate action for decades to come," he said in a statement.

Gordon Brown, the successor to Blair as prime minister, called Prescott a "colossus" and "titan of the Labour movement."

He said Prescott was "probably the first government minister to see the importance of the environment" and said the 1997 Kyoto agreement was largely down to "John's hard work with Al Gore."

John Prescott is survived by his wife Pauline and sons Johnathan and David.

tj/sms (Reuters, AFP, AP)