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John Prescott, the former UK deputy prime minister, has passed away at the age of 86, as announced by his family on Thursday morning.
“We are deeply saddened to share that our dear husband, father, and grandfather, John Prescott, peacefully passed away yesterday at the age of 86,” his family stated on his X profile.
Prescott served as deputy prime minister from 1997 to 2007 and played a significant role in Tony Blair’s New Labour movement.
Starting as a seaman who left school at 15, Prescott served as an MP for 27 years before joining the cabinet following Blair’s overwhelming election victory in 1997.
He played a crucial part in promoting New Labour to the party’s traditionalist faction, contributing to the victories in 1997, 2001, and 2005 through his campaigning efforts.
One of his proudest achievements was his involvement in shaping the 1997 Kyoto Protocol on combating global warming.
He is survived by his wife Pauline and their two sons, Johnathan and David.
