Sefton Central MP Bill Esterson has paid tribute to former Deputy Prime Minister and Southport Parliamentary Candidate John Prescott.
The renowned Labour MP died aged 86 to the sound of jazz music at his care home, where he had been living with Alzheimer’s.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Prescott was a “true giant” of the Labour movement and “a one-off”.
John Prescott was elected to the House of Commons as Member of Parliament for Kingston upon Hull East in 1970, defeating the Conservative challenger Norman Lamont.
He had previously attempted to become the first ever MP for Southport in 1966, but came in second place, approximately 9,500 votes behind the Conservative candidate.
The title of first Labour MP for Southport would later be claimed by Patrick Hurley in July 2024.
Sefton Central MP Bill Esterson, whose constituency includes Formby and Ainsdale, paid tribute in Parliament.
He said: “John had many connections with the North West of England.
“He went to school on the Wirral.
“He was a parliamentary candidate in Southport, and he returned there to campaign in the 2017 General Election.
“He was a seafarer out of Liverpool, and he was presented with a trophy by Anthony Eden, whom the Prime Minister mentioned.
“The trophy was for winning a boxing bout on board ship, and it was there that he honed the craft that may have led to what he was known so famously for later on.
“When I came here in 2010, I bumped into John in the Committee corridor, where he was sitting at a desk working.
“He said he was there because, despite being a former Deputy Prime Minister, he had to share an office with four other Members of the House of Lords – he had recently been ennobled – and he moaned about the fact that there was no preferential treatment for him.
“However, despite the moan, he was getting on with the job, as John always did.
“My favourite story of him is when, during the 2010 election campaign, the battle bus turned up on Grand National day outside Aintree racecourse.
“He had a campaign to keep the Grand National free-to-air on terrestrial TV, and there he was with his loudspeakers haranguing the racegoers to come and sign his petition, which they did in droves.
“ Not only did they sign the petition, but they queued in large numbers for selfies with John.
“That goes to the point about the affection in which he was held, and the impression that John made that day will stay with me forever.
“When I came here and was serving in this place, as he was serving in the Lords, he was a source of terrific advice to me, and I am proud to have counted John as a friend over the years.
“I send my best wishes to Pauline, David and the rest of his family. May John rest in peace.”
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