Born:
May 31, 1938
in
Prestatyn, Denbighshire
Best Known For:
Being Deputy Prime Minister
Early-life:
John Leslie Prescott was born on May 31, 1938, in Prestatyn, Wales. At the age of four, he and his family moved to the small town of Brinsworth in South Yorkshire. By the end of the 1940s, his family had moved again to Cheshire. Prescott avoided national service by becoming a steward and waiter in the Merchant Navy, and it was during this time his left-wing sympathies first came to the fore.
Career:
Prescott studied at Hull University in 1968, and two years later was elected as MP for Hull East constituency. For four years, beginning in 1974, he also served as a Member of the European Parliament, and was offered a European Commissioner post in 1980, but declined. After holding various posts in the Shadow Cabinet, his star really began to rise after an impassioned speech at the 1993 Labour Party Conference. He became deputy leader in 1994 after Tony Blair took over as leader following the death of John Smith. Three years later, when Labour swept to power, Prescott was rewarded with the post of Deputy Prime Minister. In 2006, Prescott announced his retirement.
Quote:
On not being a part of the Blairs' social circle: 'I did ask Tony about it a couple of times, you know, but nothing... Then it came out that all these celebrities had been entertained, and cabinet ministers as well.'
Trivia:
His ghostwritten autobiography: Prezza, My Story: Pulling No Punches, was published in 2008.