John Prescott, who served as British deputy prime minister under Tony Blair, has died at age 86, CNN reported. Prescott's family confirmed his death in a post on social media on Thursday, noting that he battled Alzheimer's disease.
Prescott was known as a straight shooter in Blair's Labour Party administration from 1997 to 2007. Although brash at times, he was known as the official who could bring opposing sides together.
His death was peaceful as he passed "surrounded by the love of his family and the jazz music of Marian Montgomery," Reuters reported. Prescott leaves behind his wife Pauline, whom he was wed for 63 years, and their two sons.
"There was no one quite like him in British politics. I don't think, to be honest, I'd ever met anyone quite like John, and I still don't think I've ever met anyone quite like him, and I'm very sad that he's passed," Blair said on BBC Radio.
Prescott, the son of a railway signalman and a maid, was born in Wales on May 31, 1938. He became a working man at 17, joining the crew of a luxury cruise liner as a steward.
Later, Prescott attended Ruskin College at Oxford University as a young adult. He began his political career after entering parliament in 1970 and helped the Labour Party emerge victorious while serving under Blair.
Voters appreciated Prescott's unpolished style and didn't mind that he was rough around the edges. Unfortunately, that also came with a personal failing: an affair with his younger secretary, which hurt his public image after it was revealed in April 2006.
Still, Blair spoke highly of his deputy prime minister and credited Prescott with keeping the "whole show together" during his administration. He also has the respect of Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is the nation's current leader.
"As one of the key architects of a Labour government, John achieved that rare thing: he changed people's lives, and he set the path for us all to follow. He did it all in his own way, with humor, with pride, passion, and total conviction," Starmer said to parliament.
Besides Blair, other prominent figures have also shared tributes to the late Prescott, including King Charles. "I remember with great fondness his unique and indomitable character, as well as his infectious sense of humor," the royal said of Prescott.
Former Vice President Al Gore also had kind words for Prescott. Gore worked closely with him on the Kyoto Protocol, a sweeping climate change agenda that sought to reduce so-called greenhouse gases.
"I’ve never worked with anyone in politics — on my side of the pond or his — quite like John Prescott. He possessed an inherent ability to connect with people about the issues that mattered to them — a talent that others spend years studying and cultivating, but that was second nature to him," Gore said in a statement.
"He fought like hell to negotiate the Kyoto Protocol and was an unwavering champion of climate action for decades to come. I’m forever grateful to John for that commitment to solving the climate crisis and will miss him as a dear friend," Gore concluded.
The Blair administration, including Prescott, dominated the British political scene in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He was a man made for his time, and his passing comes with great sadness to his nation and all who knew him.
