Blair praises 'extraordinary' Prescott at funeral

Sir Tony Blair was among more than 300 invited guests at the funeral of former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott

BBC News John Prescott pictured with Tony Blair pictured together. Both men are clapping. — Sir Tony Blair was among more than 300 invited guests at the funeral of former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott

John Prescott’s achievements were “extraordinary”, said former Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair at his funeral.

Delivering his eulogy at Hull Minster on Thursday, Sir Tony said Prescott was a “complicated man, wrestling frequently with the tangle of ambition and altruism”.

“He possessed deep principles, but was also determined to make his mark,” he added.

The former deputy prime minister and Hull MP died on 20 November, aged 86, in a care home where he was living with Alzheimer’s disease.

The funeral of former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott took place at Hull Minster on Thursday

EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock A wooden funeral coffin with flowers on top being carried into Hull Minster by men dressed in black — The funeral of former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott took place at Hull Minster on Thursday

Lord Prescott was deputy prime minister between 1997 and 2007.

Sir Tony said: “His achievements were extraordinary.

“He was essential in designing the major constitutional reforms of our government, the Scottish parliament, the Welsh assembly and the first elected mayor of London.

“He pioneered the idea of an integrated transport system. Throw him a problem and he would provide a solution.

“There is not one of us who thinks of John without a smile.”

Former PM Tony Blair with grey hair mid-speech as he deliveries a eulogy for John Prescott. There is a microphone in front of him. He is wearing a black suit and tie — Sir Tony Blair said “there is not one of us who thinks of John without a smile”

Other eulogies were delivered, including by Lord Prescott’s son, David, who said: “He taught me the importance of lifting people up and not putting people down.”

Mr Prescott ended his tribute with a quote from his father’s 1968 speech to the East Hull Labour Party when he ran to be selected as a candidate .

“Comrades I hope I can help,” it said, with Mr Prescott adding: “You did dad, you did.”

Others paying their respects at the service included Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan.

Lord Prescott’s coffin was carried into the minster as former Downing Street director of communications Alastair Campbell played the Welsh national anthem on the bagpipes.

PM Sir Keir Starmer was among those who attended John Prescott’s funeral

PA Media Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in a black suit and tie. He is wearing glasses and has grey hair and is standing next to a blonde woman wearing a black blazer. They are next to two Range Rovers — PM Sir Keir Starmer was among those who attended John Prescott’s funeral

Brown paid tribute to Lord Prescott as a “working class hero” who “kept the show on the road during difficult times”.

He added: “For 60 years, this great city of Hull was his home. He served it with pride, passion and principle.

“We will never see his like again. A man of the people he certainly was. In a class by himself, a one-off, one of a kind, but one of us in the best sense of the word.”

John Prescott was described as serving the city of Hull with “pride, passion and principle”

Rows of people sitting down in Hull Minster at the funeral. The photo is taken looking towards the front of the minster — John Prescott was described as serving the city of Hull with “pride, passion and principle”

The service, hosted by the Rev Canon Dr Dominic Black, included singing by the Choral-Hull children’s choir, made up from pupils across the city.

The vicar of Hull ended the service with a reading from the bible and the congregation recited the Lord’s Prayer as he delivered the final blessing over the coffin.

Dr Black then referenced the New Labour anthem “things can only get better”, but added “sadly not”, as he talked about how “troubling times are afoot in our world”.

But he ended with a poignant note that “there is hope, things can better”.

Lord Prescott was first elected as MP for Hull East in 1970 and went on to hold the seat for almost 40 years.

In lieu of flowers, the Prescott family requested donations for Alzheimer’s Research UK.

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