John Prescott, a pork pie and me – my run-in with Labour’s deputy leader
Brandishing a pork pie on a silver tray, John Prescott stood on the stage during his 1995 Labour conference speech and bellowed: “Lies, lies! Porky pies!”
It was the defining moment of my stormy 40-year relationship with the combustible, irascible former Cunard steward who became Britain’s longest-serving deputy prime minister.
The object of his anger was my front page splash in that day’s Daily Express under the headline: “Prescott fury at new snub. Blair deputy is passed over for radio interview.”
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The story began: “John Prescott was ‘spitting blood’ last night at another humiliating snub by Tony Blair and his inner circle.
“The Labour deputy was said to be furious that Mr Blair’s friend Peter Mandelson will appear in a major end-of-conference BBC interview instead of him.”
The previous evening, with two Daily Express colleagues I’d dined at Brighton’s English’s seafood restaurant with Blair ally Jack Straw, then shadow home secretary.
I’d only filed about half a dozen paragraphs, but the office called and demanded more copy, as they wanted to splash the story. So I phoned another 10 paragraphs from English’s – back when journalists spoke their articles down the phone to a copytaker.
The articles Jon Craig wrote about Mr Prescott
Mr Straw came to me the next day and said people who’d seen us dining thought he was the source. He wasn’t, I reassured him! It was a Labour MP who was a close ally of Mr Prescott.
In his conference speech, Mr Prescott attempted to summon me to the stage to be presented with the pork pie. I resisted the temptation. But he wasn’t finished.
After his speech, with TV crews from Sky News and Newsnight in tow, he came into the press room to remonstrate with me. And he did indeed present me with the pork pie.
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Mr Prescott leaving Hull’s Labour Party office. Pic: Rui Vieira/PA
In the next day’s Daily Express, under the headline “That’s pie in the sky, John”, I wrote: “First let me declare an interest. I am a fan of Labour deputy leader John Prescott.
“Over the years, he has shouted at me, sworn at me and once poked me in the chest in the committee corridor of the Commons.”
Right up to his sad death, I remained a fan. And the last time we met, in the House of Lords when his health was deteriorating, he said to me: “You always tell it like it is, Jon.”
Somewhat startled, I replied: “You didn’t always say that, John!” But clearly the old warhorse had mellowed in old age and was prepared to forgive if not forget.
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Tributes paid to Lord Prescott
Before the 1995 spat, when Mr Prescott was a member of Neil Kinnock’s shadow cabinet, I’d often ring him for a quote for the newspapers I worked for before the Daily Express.
Often driving one of his legendary “two Jags”, he’d begin by berating me and complaining about “your f***ing paper” before eventually saying: “What do you want to know.”
When Bryan Gould resigned from John Smith’s shadow cabinet in 1992 over a left-right policy clash, I asked Mr Prescott if he too was planning to resign.
“Don’t be daft!” he replied bluntly. He may have been outspoken and combative. But he was also a pragmatist, as he was to prove in his 10 years as deputy prime minister.
Mr Prescott with one of his Jags. Pic: Clive Limpkin/Daily Mail/Shutterstock
Our last clash before he mellowed was when he stood unsuccessfully to become police and crime commissioner for Humberside in 2012, which I covered for Sky News.
After his defeat, I asked him – not unreasonably, I thought – if he was going to retire now. “Retire? Retire!” he shouted at me. But he later did, when his health began to fail.
I was heartened when he spoke to me in friendly terms the last time we met. Unlike some senior politicians, he wasn’t one to bear grudges, after all.
And what became of the pork pie? I took it back to the Express office and presented it to a rather bemused Sir Nicholas Lloyd, the editor. We didn’t eat it, though.
The pie, after all, had legendary status. Like John Prescott did.
We’ll never see his like again.
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Former Labour deputy prime minister John Prescott has died aged 86, following a battle with Alzheimer’s, his family has announced.
The former trade union activist and ex-merchant seaman served as MP for Kingston upon Hull East for 40 years and was a key part of New Labour under Sir Tony Blair.
His family said he had “spent his life trying to improve the lives of others, fighting for social justice and protecting the environment”.
Lord Prescott died peacefully, surrounded by relatives at his care home on 20 November.
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John Prescott and his wife Pauline.
Pic: PA
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The John Prescott ‘punch’ moment from 2001
In a statement released after his death, his wife Pauline and sons Johnathan and David said that representing the people of Hull had been his “greatest honour”.
They said: “We are deeply saddened to inform you that our beloved husband, father and grandfather, John Prescott, passed away peacefully yesterday at the age of 86.
“He did so surrounded by the love of his family and the jazz music of Marian Montgomery.
“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.”
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Former deputy PM John Prescott dies
They continued: “We would like to thank the amazing NHS doctors and nurses who cared for him after his stroke in 2019 and the dedicated staff at the care home where he passed away after latterly living with Alzheimer’s.
“In lieu of flowers and if you wish to do so, you can donate to Alzheimer’s Research UK.
“As you can imagine, our family needs to process our grief so we respectfully request time and space to mourn in private.
“Thank you.
“Pauline, Johnathan and David Prescott.”
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A political giant
The death of John Prescott – the longest-serving deputy prime minister in British history – has sent shockwaves through British politics.
Serving in Neil Kinnock’s shadow cabinet before becoming Tony Blair’s deputy, Prescott was a political giant and an incredibly influential working-class voice in the Labour movement.
The son of a railway signalman and the grandson of a miner, Prescott offered a fresh working-class perspective in stark contrast to Tony Blair’s wealthy Oxbridge background: something that Blair has said undoubtedly contributed to Labour’s electoral success.
Current deputy prime minister Angela Rayner has been compared to John Prescott for providing Starmer with a working-class teammate with a trade union background, but Prescott’s colourful life and authenticity – even when that meant punching a protester for throwing an egg at him – can never be emulated.
Whatever he’s remembered for – from the Kyoto Protocol, being a mediator between Blair and Brown, or perhaps his personal issues – there is no doubt that his career will go down in history as a consequential contribution to the Labour movement.
‘A great man and great servant of country and party’
Lord Prescott served as deputy leader under Sir Tony and was seen by many as a key link to the party’s traditional working-class values amid the modernising push.
The two of them became known as “the odd couple”.
Paying tribute, Sir Tony said he was “devastated” by news of Lord Prescott’s death.
Sir Tony described him as “one of the most talented people I ever encountered in politics” who could “talk in the bluntest and sometimes bluest language”.
The ‘odd couple’ at the Brighton races, in 1995.
Pic: PA
He added: “He was from proud traditional working-class stock yet understood instinctively and completely the aspirations of that class and their desire to better themselves.
“It is no exaggeration to say the Labour Party could never have won three consecutive full terms without John.”
Sir Tony continued: “Underneath what could be a fierce exterior, and a manner some undoubtedly found intimidating, beat a loving, kind and compassionate human heart.
“John was as good a friend as you could ever hope to have, with a deep sensitivity, even vulnerability.
“He will deservedly occupy a special place in the pantheon of the Labour leadership; he will be mourned by his many friends and fans around the world and for me personally, today is a day of profound sadness but also immense pride in having known him and worked with him: a great man and great servant of country and Party.”
King tribute to ‘unique character’
The King also paid his respects to Lord Prescott’s achievements and praised his “indomitable character”.
“I am deeply saddened to learn of the death of Lord Prescott,” he said. “I remember with great fondness his unique and indomitable character, as well as his infectious sense of humour.
“My thoughts and greatest sympathy are with Lord Prescott’s wife, family and loved ones at such a difficult time, and I am sure that very many people will recognize and greatly appreciate Lord Prescott’s decades of public service in front-line politics.”
(L-R) Blair, Prescott and Brown at the Labour Party conference in 1998.
Pic: PA
Lord Prescott famously punched a protester who threw an egg at him during an election campaign visit in North Wales in 2001.
During much of his time in office, Lord Prescott acted as a mediator between Sir Tony and then-chancellor Gordon Brown.
Mr Brown said: “Few achieve something akin to heroic status in their own lifetime, particularly when having to deal with the compromises of being in government, but John Prescott became – and will remain – a legend of the Labour Party”.
He added: “John Lennon said the working class hero is a difficult thing to be, but I think John would be just fine with being remembered that way.”
Baroness (Harriet) Harman told Sky News’ Electoral Dysfunction podcast Mr Prescott was “instrumental in reassuring traditional old Labour voters” who may have been put off by Tony Blair’s New Labour project.
Once in government, “he fought to make sure” the party delivered for “those people who felt left behind”, she added.
“People talk about the Red Wall – John Prescott was the Red Wall.”
Pic: AP
He also served as secretary of state for the environment, transport and regions and helped negotiate the international climate change treaty the Kyoto Protocol.
Former US vice president Al Gore worked with Lord Prescott on the Kyoto Protocol in 1997.
He said he had “never worked with anyone in politics – on my side of the pond or his – quite like John Prescott”.
He added: “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.”
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he was “deeply saddened” to hear the news of Lord Prescott’s death.
While a loyal supporter of Sir Tony in office, Lord Prescott subsequently became critical of parts of the legacy left behind by New Labour.
This included denouncing Britain’s involvement in the Iraq War.
He also defended Jeremy Corbyn during his time as party leader in the face of fierce criticism.
John Prescott diving off the coast of Northumberland in celebration of World Oceans Day in 1997.
Pic: PA
John Prescott takes a close look at a Chinese Mitten Crab called Dennis, during a news conference about the Millenium flood defences.
Pic: PA
He was ennobled in 2010 but ceased to be a member of the upper House in July after facing health difficulties.
He had only spoken once in the chamber since suffering a stroke in 2019, and had not voted since February 2023.
Born in Prestatyn, Wales, on 31 May 1938, the son of a railwayman left school aged 15 to work as a trainee chef, then as a steward on the Cunard Line before entering politics in a career that spanned decades.
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