He was known as ‘Two Jags’ during his time as deputy prime minister – so it was only fitting that two black Jaguar cars were at the front of John Prescott’s funeral cortege.
Senior figures from Labour’s past and present were among 300 family, friends and ex-colleagues at today’s service to remember the late politician.
Among those seen on their way into Hull Minster, East Yorkshire, were Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria.
They were joined by a string of Cabinet ministers, including current Deputy PM Angela Rayner, Chancellor Rachel Reeves, Foreign Secretary David Lammy, and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, who arrived alongside her husband Ed Balls.
Sir Tony Blair and his wife Cherie, fellow former Labour premier Gordon Brown, ex-No10 spin chief Alastair Campbell, and RMT union boss Mick Lynch also attended.
Lord Prescott died on November 20 last year, aged 86, in a nursing home where he had been living with Alzheimer’s.
A former trade union activist and merchant seaman, he was first elected to Parliament as MP for Hull in 1970, before going on to become a key member of Sir Tony’s New Labour government.
He served as deputy PM under Sir Tony between 1997 and 2007 and earned the nickname ‘two Jags’ after it emerged he had two official Jaguar cars while in the role.
He was known as ‘Two Jags’ during his time as deputy prime minister – so it was only fitting that two black Jaguar cars were at the front of John Prescott’s funeral cortege
Sir Keir Starmer was among senior figures from Labour’s past and present to attend the service at Hull Minster
The Prime Minister’s wife, Victoria Starmer, also attended the service in East Yorkshire
Sir Tony Blair and his wife Cherie
Sir Tony’s fellow former PM Gordon Brown
Deputy PM Angela Rayner and former No10 spin chief Alastair Campbell
House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle
Other attendees included RMT union boss Mick Lynch, as well as Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and her husband Ed Balls
Ms Cooper shared an embrace with Jack Straw, who was home secretary himself between 1997 and 2001
Lord Prescott died on November 20 last year, aged 86, in a nursing home where he had been living with Alzheimer’s
He served as deputy PM under Sir Tony between 1997 and 2007 and earned the nickname ‘two Jags’ after it emerged he had two official Jaguar cars while in the role
A former boxer, Lord Prescott was also remembered by many for punching a protester who threw an egg at him during an election campaign visit to North Wales in 2001.
He remained in the House of Commons until 2010, when he joined the House of Lords, but he rarely spoke in the upper chamber after suffering a stroke in 2019.
Lord Prescott officially ceased to be a member of the Lords in July last year, bringing to an end a parliamentary career that spanned more than half a century.
His coffin was carried into Hull Minster as Mr Campbell, the former Downing Street director of communications, played the Welsh national anthem on the bagpipes.
Mr Brown told the funeral congregation they were there to ‘mourn the loss of a dear friend’ in the city which was ‘the home he loved and the home he served with pride, passion and principle’.
Mr Brown, who spoke of Lord Prescott’s rise from cabin steward on a cruise ship at the age of 19 to the highest ranks of government, said: ‘We celebrate a life well lived, a life lived to the full, a life that touched the lives and changed the lives of millions.’
The former PM also noted how the ‘remarkable’ Lord Prescott once made a cameo appearance in TV’s Gavin And Stacey, adding: ‘We shall not see his like again.’
Lord Prescott’s son David finished his eulogy with the speech his father gave to the East Hull Labour Party in 1968 as he pitched to be the local MP, saying: ‘John always had the last word’.
The speech finished with the line: ‘Comrades, I hope I can help.’ Mr Prescott told the congregation: ‘You did Dad, you did.’
Sir Tony joked with the congregation about the ‘pandemonium’ that ensued after ‘the punch’ in the 2001 general election campaign.
He recalled ringing his deputy with reluctance and asking him to apologise.
Sir Tony said he got the reply: ‘The answer is no, I’m not bloody apologising and that’s the end of it.’ The former PM said: ‘Classic’.
He said he watched the footage again recently and was ‘cheering him on’.
Sir Tony explained how the Labour Party has always had an uneasy relationship with being in power but Lord Prescott was ‘instrumental’ in resolving this during his government.
He said his deputy had an ‘intuition about what Labour must do to sustain itself in power’.
After Sir Tony’s eulogy, Sir Keir read from Psalm 107.
More than 300 family members, friends and colleagues were invited to the service in East Yorkshire
Lord Prescott’s sons, Johnathan (second from left) and David (second from right) leave after their father’s funeral
The former Cabinet minister’s widow, Pauline Prescott arrives at Hull Minster
New Labour supremo Lord Peter Mandelson, who is set to become the new UK ambassador to the US
Police were seen in advance of today’s service, which included singing from the Choral-Hull children’s choir, made up from pupils across the city
Ahead of the funeral service today, Sir Keir praised Lord Prescott’s ‘tenacity and vision’ as well as his ‘fighting spirit’.
The PM said: ‘John Prescott’s funeral is a moment to reflect on his legacy alongside those that loved him most.
‘Since his death, I have been moved to hear countless people relate their stories of John – tales of characteristic generosity, humour and charisma.
‘Amongst the public, it’s clear that he had legendary status.
‘He was held in huge affection by people across the country who admired his straightforward authenticity and knew that he would always have their back.’
The PM added: ‘His place in our history is assured – not, as he expected, for that one famous moment, but for his fighting spirit across an entire lifetime of service.
‘He will be remembered as a man who stood up for working people, fought for what he believed in, and changed our nation for the better.
‘We have his tenacity and vision to thank for that early action on climate change, regional inequality, the minimum wage, and public transport.
‘This is a day to give thanks for a remarkable life well lived. I know many people will be raising a glass to John today.’
Hosted by the Rev Canon Dominic Black, the service included singing from the Choral-Hull children’s choir, made up from pupils across the city.
In lieu of flowers, the family requested donations for Alzheimer’s Research UK.
Lord Prescott acted as a mediator in the often turbulent relationship between Sir Tony Blair and Gordon Brown
A former boxer, Lord Prescott was also remembered by many for punching a protester who threw an egg at him during an election campaign visit to North Wales in 2001
As deputy PM, Lord Prescott oversaw the environment, transport and the regions, a brief which included helping to negotiate the international Kyoto Protocol on climate change.
He also acted as a mediator in the often turbulent relationship between Sir Tony and then-chancellor Gordon Brown.
Paying tribute to Lord Prescott in November, Sir Tony described him as ‘one of the most talented people I ever encountered in politics’ and ‘one of the most committed and loyal, and definitely the most unusual’.
Mr Brown, Sir Tony’s successor in No10, said Lord Prescott was ‘key to holding the ring and keeping things together during difficult times such as over Iraq’.
