Tributes have been pouring in for John Prescott, the deputy prime minister from 1997 to 2007, who has died aged 86. The son of a railway signalman, Prescott was born in Prestatyn, Wales, in 1938 and left school at 15 to work as a trainee chef and then as a steward on the Cunard Line before entering politics. Here, six people share their reflections, memories and encounters with Prescott. ‘He connected with people’ I organised a photocall with him during the European parliament elections of 1994. It was at a training centre for caterers and brewers. Prescott was supposed to pour a pint and pose with the Labour MEP candidate Pauline Green. To my utter astonishment, although in hindsight perhaps I shouldn’t have been that surprised, John turns to the trainees and says something like: “You know, I used to work on ships as a steward, and one of the things I could do is down a pint in less than five seconds.” And then he says: “You lot, start counting.” Afterwards, the film crews almost immediately packed up and thought: “Great, we’ve got our footage, we’re off.” But we got back to business. John talked to the trainees. He was a very natural guy – he connected with people, had a great sense of humour. You’ve got these kids in training from Tottenham, they’ve probably never met a politician in their life before, and they’ve met this guy who’s actually a real bloke. I think he made quite a big impact on them. Neil Martinson, 70, London
‘I rapidly learned to have my facts together and arguments straight’ John Prescott combined a deep personal passion for regeneration and housing – drawn from his own personal experience and his deep northern roots – with a fierce analytical intelligence. Like lots of people, I had been fooled by the media coverage of him to think that his occasional failure to express himself eloquently was symptomatic of muddled thinking. Quite the reverse was true. Actually, he was a very intelligent, analytical man. I rapidly learned that if I was going to convince him of anything, I had to have my facts together and my arguments straight. I remember spending two days with him and civil servants, reviewing progress on regeneration projects in the Midlands and the north. After each session, it was John’s analysis that was the most impressive in the room. It was his ability to cut through the flannel and ask the sharp, pertinent question which I deeply admired. Adam Sampson, 64, chief executive of the housing and homelessness charity Shelter, 2002-09, London ‘We could do with more politicians like him’
I knew John from my Labour party Young Socialists days, first meeting him at a conference in Bridlington in the 1980s. John was a real character who rose up from tough times in the “real world” and we could do with more politicians like that these days. One time I bumped into him queueing to watch the film The Crying Game in Leicester Square. I suggested we go in together. As soon as the film started, he fell into a deep sleep and snored loudly throughout. At the end, as the credits rolled, I asked him what he thought of the film. “Bloody rubbish,” he said. “I prefer films that make you think!” Julian Dismore, 59, TV producer and media skills trainer, Norwich ‘He was refreshingly normal’ Some years ago, I was on a train to Hull in standard class, and when I stood up to get off, I saw John Prescott. He waited until I got in the queue to leave the train. Everyone was smiling and so pleased to see him. He was very normal with no airs about him. It was very refreshing and I’ve never forgotten it. I liked him as a politician and he seemed to say what he thought and didn’t seem to have that sense of importance that many do. It’s so sad to hear of his death. Wendy, 80, retired NHS worker, north-east England ‘His robustness had a working-class pride to it’ I’m an old-style socialist, often called “out of date”, who believes in a more equal society with more homes, good education and free healthcare for all. I associated very strongly with John Prescott’s views. I felt Tony Blair went too conservative, but Prescott attempted to keep New Labour positioned towards the left to a certain extent. Those sorts of politicians – like [Clement] Attlee’s 1945 government that created the National Health Service, the welfare state, better education and everything else – have all gone now. I saw Prescott speak in 1984 during the miners’ strike. His political style was quite gruff; he would thump his fist on the table for emphasis, or deploy his temper to make a point. But I liked that attitude. His robustness had a working-class pride and dignity to it. I remember him saying that the working class need to stick together, not be split by the rightwing media. Colin Springett, 66, Ipswich
‘If we had more people like him in politics, what a better place this would be’ I never met John, and am too young to have voted when he was around, but I’ve always had so much respect for him. He represented an honesty and passion for people that represents what politics should be about. He worked with people who don’t share the same views. He worked his whole life to make our country a better place for everyone and he did it honestly. Even his punches were honest. Imagine our politics if our Houses of Parliament were full of people like John Prescott. What a better place this would be. Sam, 29, lawyer, Bristol