He was the supposed marriage counsellor between Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, the link between old and New Labour ... and John Prescott could also balance a cup and saucer on his stomach.
In his autobiography, A Journey, Blair recalls how Prince Charles was taken aback after his first meeting with Prescott.
"Does he ever do that thing with you?" the prince asked the then-prime minister. "... when he's sitting opposite you, he slides down the seat with his legs apart, his crotch pointing a little menacingly, and balances his teacup and saucer on his tummy. It's very odd. I've never seen someone do that before. What do you think it means?"
Blair replied: "I don't think it means anything, really."
But the prince responded: "Hmm. You don't think it's a sort of gesture or sign of hostility or class enmity or something?"
Blair: "No, I think he just likes drinking his tea that way."
On BBC Radio 4's The World at One today, Prescott explained: "There was nowhere [else] to put the cup and saucer."
That was not the only time Blair seems to have been amused by his deputy. In his book, he also describes the incident where Prescott punched a protester who had pelted him with an egg as "extraordinarily funny".
The egg was funny. The mullet was funny. The left hook was funny. The expressions on both their faces were funny.
Blair also described Prescott as "not great at working with a certain type of middle-class woman". He said that at cabinet meetings the then-health secretary, Patricia Hewitt, "would usually raise the women's angle. John would make some slightly off-colour remark if he was in a sour mood. I would them bring her in again just for the sheer entertainment of watching him finally explode. She would patronise him in the most wonderfully insensitive fashion."
He goes on to say of Prescott: "Laughing at him or with him was equally good."
So, that Prescott, he was a funny guy. The ex-PM describes him as "like a pig with a truffle. He could smell out condescension." I wonder if he thinks A Journey has a bad smell about it.
Comments in chronological order (Total 16 comments)
Post a comment1 September 2010 3:51PM
I liked Prescott, the guy spoke his mind. Pity they didn't keep him around after Blair went.
1 September 2010 4:19PM
And Blair has the audacity to say the Gordon Brown was a bully and lacked emotional intelligence. There is more than one kind of bullying, including the "let's get the posh bird to make fun of the fat prole" type of bullying that is common in University political clubs.
It just goes to show they don't grow up when they get to Westminster.
1 September 2010 4:32PM
John Prescott - Blair's official pig's bladder on a a stick.
1 September 2010 4:41PM
Excellent left hook to a startled, egg throwing mullett wearing tosser
1 September 2010 4:49PM
I also have some grudging affection for Prescott though no respect whatsoever politically - taking ermine was the salt in the wound on that front. But there's little doubt, he was an idiot and twit, but Prescott wasnt evil, nasty or vindictive like most of the Blair and Brown camps.
1 September 2010 5:00PM
@mixey
You've obviously never met Prescott?
I'm afraid I have. Not a pleasant experience to say the least.
Honestly....
1 September 2010 6:25PM
@nattybumpo
I have and he didn't seem that bad to me.
Clearly I think he has his shortcomings - which people never tire of pointing out (always with a little bit of snobbery, naturally) but he seemed fine.
1 September 2010 6:54PM
I hope the press are there the next time these two meet.
" you think I am a funny guy"
"what way funny"
cannot remember the rest. (a scene from Goodfellas)
1 September 2010 7:05PM
What would be really funny is if someone would give Blair a good smack. Might change his mind about whether or not assault is humorous then.
1 September 2010 8:05PM
thank god this arsehole has no direct power anymore
in favour of a budget that has been independently assessed as regressive
in favour of military intervention in Iran
thinks that banks should not be held responsible for their madcap and amoral dealings
dead wood
I think the only people who will actually take any succor from this sorry memoir are the Tories
1 September 2010 8:34PM
Tony Blair reveals that among his other talents John Prescott could balance a cup and saucer on his stomach
The geeze had room for an articulated-truck on his miraculous belly
But was astoundingly inarticulate on radio or on telly......
1 September 2010 9:17PM
I always liked Prescott ... and I can balance a cup and saucer on my diaphragm too. Very useful skill.
1 September 2010 10:31PM
Prescott is actually pretty articulate and an intelligent speaker who is unfairly lampooned - I've always suspected there is a fair amount of class bias against him.
1 September 2010 10:49PM
Prescott the working class clown kept on because he could shaft the working class in their own language and now in charge of ZanuNuLabour finances no Jags on those figures eh John still you have done well out politics nice house etc etc like the rest of your London centric party it must have been very annoying regulary telling those clowns in London where Hull was eh
2 September 2010 4:27AM
Ahhhh Lord Prescott..another champagne socialist hypocrite. Just SO glad these pigs are out of making decisions on my life now..
2 September 2010 3:17PM
@JamesCracknell
I'm defintely not a snob I just thought the man to be TOO self-important.
Far TOO self-important.