 John Leslie
Prescott (born 31 May 1938) is a British Labour Party politician,
former Deputy Prime Minister, First Secretary of State and current Member
of Parliament for the constituency of Hull East. He was elected Deputy
Leader of the Labour Party after coming second in the Labour leadership
election in 1994, and was appointed Deputy Prime Minister after Labour's
victory in the 1997 General Election.
A former ship's steward and trade union activist, he is presented as the
political link to the working class in a "New" Labour party led by
modernising middle class professionals. Prescott had overcome the handicap
of failing his grammar school entrance Eleven Plus examination, to
graduate from Ruskin College in Oxford. Prescott also developed a
reputation as a key conciliator in the often tense relationship between
the two other senior figures in government, Chancellor Gordon Brown and
Prime Minister Tony Blair.
On 27 June 2007, he resigned as Deputy Prime Minister, to coincide with
the resignation of Prime Minister Tony Blair, following his replacement in
a deputy leadership election by Harriet Harman. His former post of Deputy
Prime Minister was not assigned to any minister.For speaking
enquiries: enquiries@cmmol.net
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