John Prescott: Difference between revisions

For other people named John Prescott, see John Prescott (disambiguation).

The Rt Hon John Prescott
File:John Prescott.jpg
Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State of the United Kingdom
Incumbent
Assumed office 2 May 1997
Preceded by	Michael Heseltine
Constituency	Hull East
Majority	11,747 (37.7%)
Personal details
Born	31 May 1938 Prestatyn, Wales
Political party	Labour
Spouse	Pauline Prescott

John Leslie Prescott MP (born 31 May 1938 is a British Labour Party politician, Deputy Prime Minister, First Secretary of State and Member of Parliament for the North East constituency of Hull East. He became Deputy Leader of the Labour Party after coming second in the Labour leadership election in 1994 and was appointed Deputy Prime Minister after Labour's victory in the 1997 General Election.

A former ship's steward and trade union activist, he is presented as the political link to the "working class" in a "New" Labour party led by modernising middle class professionals. Prescott, himself, had overcome the handicap of failing his grammar school entrance Eleven Plus examination, to graduate from the adult education college for people with no qualifications; Ruskin College, Oxford.

Early life

The son of a railway signalman (and Labour councillor) and grandson of a miner, Prescott was born in Prestatyn, Wales and brought up initially in Brinsworth in South Yorkshire, England. He attended Brinsworth Primary School, where he sat but failed the Eleven Plus examination in 1948. His family moved to Ellesmere Port in Cheshire, where he attended the Grange Secondary Modern School. He became a steward and waiter in the Merchant Navy, working for Cunard, and was a popular left-wing union activist. He then went to the independent Ruskin College in Oxford and gained a degree in economics and economic history at the University of Hull.

Parliament

He returned to the National Union of Seamen as a full-time official before being elected to the House of Commons as Member of Parliament (MP) for Hull East in 1970, succeeding Commander Harry Pursey, the retiring Labour MP. The defeated Conservative challenger was Norman Lamont. Previously, he had attempted to become MP for Southport in 1966, but came in second place, approximately 11,000 votes behind the Conservative candidate. From 1974 to 1979, he concurrently served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) and Leader of the Labour Group, when its members were nominated by the national Parliaments.

Prescott held various posts in Labour's Shadow Cabinet, but his career was secured by an impassioned closing speech in the debate at the Labour Party Conference in 1993 on the introduction of 'one member, one vote' elections for the party leadership that helped swing the vote in favour of this reform. Prescott became deputy leader with the first leadership vote under the new system following the death of John Smith in 1994.

Links with the grass roots

Prescott, sometimes described as 'an old-school unionist', has kept in touch with the views of the traditional Labour voters throughout his career. He became an important figure in Tony Blair's 'New Labour' movement, as the representative of 'old Labour' interests in the Shadow Cabinet and subsequently around the Cabinet table as Deputy Prime Minister.

However, now a member of the establishment, relationships with the grass roots were not always smooth. Whilst attending the BRIT Awards in 1998, Chumbawamba vocalist Danbert Nobacon poured a jug of iced water over Prescott, saying, "This is for the Liverpool Dockers". (Dock workers in Liverpool had been involved in a two-year industrial dispute: a strike that had turned into a lockout, until a few weeks earlier.) A reporter from the Daily Mirror threw water over Nobacon the following day.

Deputy Prime Minister

With the election of a Labour government in 1997, Prescott was made Deputy Prime Minister and given a very large portfolio as the head of the newly created Department for Environment, Transport and the Regions. In July 2001, an Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was created to deal with the areas under his responsibility. This new office was originally part of the Cabinet Office, but became a department in its own right in May 2002 when it absorbed some of the responsibilities from the former Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions.

In the United Kingdom, the title Deputy Prime Minister is used only occasionally and confers no constitutional powers (in which it is similar to the pre-20th century usage of Prime Minister). Since the Deputy Prime Minister draws no salary, Prescott's renumeration was based on his position as Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions until 2001. Upon losing that role he was given the title First Secretary of State and a much smaller department called the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. The Deputy Prime Minister stands in when the Prime Minister is unavailable, most visibly at Prime Minister's Questions, and Prescott has attended various Heads of Government meetings on behalf of Tony Blair.

Environment

The UK played a major role in the successful negotiations on the Kyoto Protocol on climate change and Prescott led for the country during the discussions.

In May 2006, in recognition of his work in delivering the Kyoto Treaty, Tony Blair asked Prescott to work with the Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for the Environment on developing the Government's post Kyoto agenda.

Transport

Integrated transport policy

On coming to office, Prescott pursued an integrated public transport policy. On 6 June 1997 he said: "I will have failed if in five years time there are not... far fewer journeys by car. It's a tall order but I urge you to hold me to it." Subsequently there have been attempts by spokesmen to deny that he ever said this but the statement had been confirmed by Prescott in a House of Commons debate. However, by June 2002, car traffic was up by 7%. This prompted Friends of the Earth’s Tony Bosworth to say "By its own test, Government transport policy has failed".

Prescott had success in focussing attention on the role of car usage in the bigger environmental picture and the need for effective public transport alternatives if car volume is to be reduced. The subsequent debate on road pricing evolved from his policy. A contrast was highlighted between Prescott's transport brief and an incident, in 1999, when an official chauffeured car was used to transport Prescott and his wife 250 yards from their hotel to the venue of the Labour Party Conference, where Prescott gave a speech on how to encourage the use of public transport. Prescott explained, "Because of the security reasons for one thing and second, my wife doesn't like to have her hair blown about. Have you got another silly question?"

Rail regulation

Prescott had a stormy relationship with the privatised railway industry. He had vigorously opposed the privatisation of the industry whilst the Labour Party was in opposition, and disliked the party's policy, established in 1996 just before the flotation of Railtrack on the London Stock Exchange, of committing to renationalise the industry only when resources allowed, which he saw as meaning that it would never be done. Reluctantly, he supported the alternative policy, produced by then shadow transport secretary Clare Short, that the industry should be subjected to closer regulation by the to-be-created Strategic Rail Authority (in the case of the passenger train operators) and the Rail Regulator (in the case of the monopoly and dominant elements in the industry, principally Railtrack). The policy was spelled out in some detail in the Labour Party's statement in the June 1996 prospectus for the sale of Railtrack shares, and was widely regarded as having depressed the price of the shares.

In 1998, Prescott was criticised by investors in the railway for his statement - at the Labour Party conference that year - that the privatised railway was a "national disgrace". The companies felt that they had had some considerable successes in cutting costs and generating new revenues in the short time since their transfer to private sector hands, and that the criticisms were premature and unfair.

In that speech, Prescott also announced that he would be taking a far tougher line with the companies, and to that end he would be having a "spring clean of the regulators". This meant that the incumbent Director of Passenger Rail Franchising - John O'Brien - and the Rail Regulator John Swift QC - both appointed by the previous Conservative government, would have to make way for New Labour appointees. In February 1999, the regulation of the passenger rail operators fell to Sir Alastair Morton, who Prescott announced would be appointed as chairman of the Strategic Rail Authority, which would take over from the Director of Passenger Rail Franchising whose office would be wound up. In July 1999, the new Rail Regulator appointed by Prescott was Tom Winsor. They shared Prescott's view that the railway industry needed a considerable shake-up in its institutional, operational, engineering and economic matrix if it was to attract and retain private investment, and enable the companies within it to become strong, competent and successful.

Regional development

Prescott supported regional government in England. Early in his term, he introduced regional assemblies (consisting of delegates from local authorities) to oversee the work of new Regional Development Agencies in the regions of England. Following Labour's second election victory, he pressed for the introduction of elected regional assemblies, which would have seen about 20 members elected under a similar electoral system to that used for the London Assembly. However, due to opposition, the government was forced to hold regional referenda on the change. The first three were intended to be in the North-East, North-West and Yorkshire and Humberside. The North-East referendum in 2004 was first (where support was felt to be strongest) but resulted in an overwhelming vote of 78% against. As a consequence, the plan for elected regional assemblies was shelved.

The rising number of households (especially in the south-east) means that new houses need to be built. Given that there are insufficient brownfield (developed) sites, Prescott determined that some greenfield (undeveloped) sites must be used for them, including some in the Green Belt. Prescott made a gaffe in January 1998 when he declared in a radio interview that "The green belt is a Labour achievement; and we intend to build upon it.".

In the north of England, Prescott approved the demolition of some 200,000 homes that were judged to be in 'failing areas' as part of his Pathfinder regeneration scheme. It has been argued that renovating properties, rather than demolishing them, would have made better financial and community sense.

As part of his remit over planning issues Prescott introduced the Local Authorities (Code of Conduct) Order 2001. This is a Statutory Instrument that forbids local councillors from having a say in planning issues in which they are deemed to have a 'prejudicial interest'. This has been criticised for undermining local democracy by preventing councillors from representing the views of the communities that elected them.

Opposition to education reforms

On 17 December 2005, Prescott made public his disapproval of Tony Blair's plans to give state schools the right to govern their finances and admission policies and to increase the number of city academies in the first policy stance that Prescott had made against Blair since his election as leader in 1994. Prescott said that the move would create a two-tier educational system that would discriminate against the working class. He added that Labour were "always better fighting class".

Abolition of department

In a Cabinet reshuffle on 5 May 2006, Prescott's departmental responsibilities were transferred to Ruth Kelly, as Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, following revelations about his private life and a poor performance by Labour in UK local elections. He remained as deputy PM, with a seat in the Cabinet, and was given a role as special envoy to the Far East. .

The press speculated on 9 July 2006 that, as a consequence of the continuing problems centred on Prescott, Blair was preparing to replace him as Deputy Prime Minister with David Miliband MP, whilst possibly retaining Prescott as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, but nothing came of this.

Announcement of retirement

On 28 September 2006, at the Labour Party conference in Manchester, John Prescott apologised for the bad press he had caused for the party during the previous year. He said: "I know in the last year I let myself down, I let you down. So Conference, I just want to say sorry." He confirmed he would stand down as Labour's deputy leader when Tony Blair leaves Downing Street.

On 30 January 2007, he announced in the House of Commons that "I'm in a rather happy demob stage" in a combative performance.

Controversies

Main article: John Prescott: Contentious events

Prescott has been involved in a number of controversies and incidents that have caused public concern and widespread media interest.

The incidents in the subsidiary article are:

• Fighting with a protester; farmer threw an egg at him and Prescott responded with a punch
• Council tax; repays council tax on Admiralty House
• Sexual infidelities and harassment allegations; including his affair with Tracey Temple
• Benefits controversy; forced to give up houses after losing his department
• Croquet controversy; photographed playing croquet at Dorneywood when acting Prime Minister
• Phil Anschutz affair; super casino planning row
• Absent during airport terrorism plot?; Reid in charge?
• Comments about Bush Administration; Prescott denies saying the Bush administration had been "crap" on the Middle East road map
• Johnathan Prescott involvement; any links with the business of Johnathan Prescott?

Trivia

Road traffic offences

Prescott was fined for speeding in July 1988, March 1989, January 1991 and January 1997. The last conviction related to an offence on 28 December 1996, when he was found to be driving at 80mph on the M62 at a time when police recommended a 30 mile per hour limit due to ice; he was fined £40 and given three penalty points on his driving licence.

Comments about other politicians

John Prescott has, on occasion, made tactless remarks about his fellow politicians.

For instance, when faced with a crab in a jar, he compared it to Peter Mandelson, saying "You know what his name is? He's called Peter."

Public speaking

Prescott has gained a reputation in the British press for confused speech, mangled syntax and grammar. The Guardian columnist Simon Hoggart once commented: "Every time Prescott opens his mouth, it's like someone has flipped open his head and stuck in an egg whisk."

An oft-quoted but unverified story in Jeremy Paxman's The Political Animal is that, before being accepted as transcribers to Hansard, applicants must listen to one of Prescott's speeches and write down what they think he was trying to say.

One of many examples occurred at the 2006 Labour spring conference where the BBC reported "Fans of Prescottese were not disappointed as the deputy prime minister began by harking back to the bad old days when Labour had 'single finger majorities'".

Sobriquets

See also: 'zza nicknames

It has been a game played by the media to attach various nicknames to John Prescott. Whilst the way has been led by the red tops, even the normally staid and sober Independent has got in on the act. Originally, Prescott's nickname was simply "Prezza".

As various misfortunes befell Prescott the soubriquets became more colourful leading to "Two Jags" (Prescott owns one Jaguar, and has the use of another as his official ministerial car), "Two Jabs" (referring to his retaliation against a protester farmer in 2001), "Two Shags" (in reference to his extra-marital affairs), "Two Shacks" (referring to his former country house) and by The Independent, "No Jobs" (after he lost his department in a cabinet reshuffle, following exposure of his affair).

Waiting on Anthony Eden

Prescott's time in the Merchant Marine included a cruise from England to New Zealand in 1957. Among the passengers was Sir Anthony Eden, recuperating after his resignation over the Suez Crisis. Prescott reportedly described Eden as a "real gentleman". Apart from serving Eden, who stayed in his cabin much of the time, Prescott also won several boxing contests, at which Eden presented the prizes.

Bibliography

• Punchlines: A Crash Course in English with John Prescott by Simon Hoggart (Pocket Books, 2003) ISBN 0-7434-8397-9
• Fighting Talk: Biography of John Prescott by Colin Brown (Simon & Schuster, 1997) ISBN 0-684-81798-5

See also

• Cabinet of the UK
• John Prescott: Contentious events

External links

• 10 Downing Street - John Prescott official site
• BBC Profile
• Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: John Prescott MP
• TheyWorkForYou.com - John Prescott MP
• Mr Prescott and his gaffes