Prescott’s achievements extraordinary, Blair says in eulogy
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The funeral of former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott took place at Hull Minster on Thursday
Former Prime Minister Tony Blair speaking at the funeral of his former deputy John Prescott described his achievements as “extraordinary”.
Blair, who was among ministers past and present at Hull Minster on Thursday for Lord Prescott’s funeral, gave a eulogy at the service.
Blair began his tribute by describing Lord Prescott as a “complicated man, wrestling frequently with the tangle of ambition and altruism”.
“He possessed deep principles, but was also determined to make his mark.”
Tony Blair said “there is not one of us who thinks of John without a smile”
Lord Prescott, who served as deputy prime minister between 1997 and 2007, died on 20 November, aged 86. He had been in a care home living with Alzheimer’s disease.
Those paying their respects at Thursday’s service included Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan.
Lord Prescott’s coffin was carried into the minster as former Downing Street director of communications Alastair Campbell played the Welsh national anthem on the bagpipes.
Blair said: “His achievements were extraordinary.
“He was essential in designing the major constitutional reforms of our government, the Scottish parliament, the Welsh assembly and the first elected mayor of London.
“He pioneered the idea of an integrated transport system. Throw him a problem and he would provide a solution.
“There is not one of us who thinks of John without a smile.”
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PM Sir Keir Starmer was among those who attended John Prescott’s funeral
Other eulogies were delivered, including by Lord Prescott’s son, David, who said: “He taught me the importance of lifting people up and not putting people down.”
Brown said: “For 60 years, this great city of Hull was his home. He served it with pride, passion and principle.”
The former prime minister added: “We will never see his like again. A man of the people he certainly was. In a class by himself, a one-off, one of a kind, but one of us in the best sense of the word.”
John Prescott was described as serving the city of Hull with “pride, passion and principle”
The service, hosted by the Rev Canon Dominic Black, included singing by the Choral-Hull children’s choir, made up from pupils across the city.
Lord Prescott was first elected as MP for Hull East in 1970 and went on to hold the seat for almost 40 years.
In lieu of flowers, the Prescott family requested donations for Alzheimer’s Research UK.
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