Funeral takes place of former Labour Minister and Peer Lord Prescott (Image: Getty)
The funeral of John Prescott took place at Hull Minister today as the city bid a farewell to the former deputy prime minister and Hull East MP.
Following his death in November aged 86, around 300 friends, colleagues and members of his family gathered on Thursday to pay their respects.
Among the service’s attendees were a plethora of notable politicians. Prime Minister Sir was among the invitees, alongside former Prime Ministers Gordon Brown and Tony Blair.
Many of the Labour frontbenchers paid their respects to Lord Prescott, as Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Deputy Prime Minister attended the service, as well as the mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham.
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Former deputy prime minister and Hull East MP Lord Prescott (Image: Getty)
The funeral of John Prescott today (Image: Getty)
Notably, two Jaguar cars formed part of the funeral cortege in an apparent nod to Lord Prescott’s given nickname of ‘Two Jags’. The name was earned after it was revealed the former Deputy Prime Minister used a personal one and a ministerial one.
Lord Prescott remains Britain’s longest-serving deputy prime minister, holding the position in Tony Blair’s government from 1997 to 2007. He also served as the Member of Parliament for Hull East for just under 40 years, from June 1970 to April 2010, before stepping down at the election.
Gordon Brown delivered the opening eulogy in today’s service. Hull, he said, was “the home he [Lord Prescott] loved, the home he served with pride, passion and principle”.
Mr Brown said: “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.”
Former Prime Minister Tony Blair attends the funeral (Image: Getty)
Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown attends the funeral (Image: Getty)
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During the service, Sir Tony Blair also paid tribute to the late politician.
He said: “It’s right that we celebrate his life. He played a huge part in the affairs of government but I want to celebrate him also as a man, a good man, a man who started as my political partner and became my personal friend.
“You will miss him, we will miss him, but I hope if John’s looking down on us, and not already in negotiation with St Peter over the accommodation, I hope he will see in this vast gathering today, a recognition of that working-class boy from a small Welsh town, who rose to the highest ranks of the land by merit, by graft, by greatness of courage and character, and he will feel deservedly at peace.”