John Prescott, who rose through Britain’s trade union movement to become one of the country’s best-known politicians, serving as deputy prime minister for a decade, died on Wednesday. His family announced the death in a statement on social media. The statement noted that he had suffered a stroke in 2019 and had been living with Alzheimer’s disease. Plain-speaking and proudly working class, Mr. Prescott was a visible link to Labour’s traditional origins when the party came to power in 1997 under the modernizing leadership of Tony Blair. In government, Mr. Prescott championed environmental causes — playing a key role in international climate negotiations — and worked to shift power from London to the English regions.

Source: The Times November 21, 2024 15:15 UTC