A former deputy prime minister to Tony Blair, Lord John Prescott has died aged 86.
He was the Deputy Prime Minister under Tony Blair for 10 years after Labour’s 1997 election landslide.
The Labour veteran and former trade union activist served between 1997 and 2007.
The family has officially confirmed his death in a statement.
The statement released by the wife and two sons said he had been in a care home recently living with Alzheimer’s.
According to the family, he died peacefully on Wednesday “surrounded by the love of his family” after receiving care for Alzheimer’s.
“We are deeply saddened to inform you that our beloved husband, father, and grandfather, John Prescott, has passed away peacefully at the age of 86,” the family said.
He died surrounded by family and the jazz music of Marian Montgomery, the family added.
The family also expressed gratitude to the doctors and nurses who had looked after him after his stroke in 2019 and the care home staff more recently.
“John spent his life trying to improve the lives of others, fighting for social justice and protecting the environment, doing so from his time as a waiter on the cruise liners to becoming Britain’s longest-serving deputy prime minister.
“John dearly loved his home of Hull, and representing its people in Parliament for 40 years was his greatest honour.”
Lord Prescott was first elected as MP for Kingston upon Hull East in 1970.
He held the seat as MP for almost 40 years.
Lord Prescott joined the shadow cabinet in 1983 with a responsibility for transport.
He served as former Prime Minister Tony Blair’s deputy from 1997 to 2007 until being made a peer in 2010.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
