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John Leslie Prescott Deputy Prime Minister and First
Secretary of State
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John is a descendant of the Parrish family via his mother, who is a descendant of William Parrish.
John Leslie Prescott was born on 31st May 1938 in Prestatyn, North Wales. His grandfather was a miner and his father, John Herbert Prescott, was a railway signalman, a local Labour councillor and a JP. John junior attended Brinsworth Primary School, in Rotherham, and then moved on to Grange Secondary Modern School in Ellesmere Port, where he failed his 11-plus.
At 15 began work as a trainee chef. In 1963, after working for several years as a steward in the Merchant Navy, John gained a diploma in economics and politics at Ruskin College Oxford, which specialises in courses for working people. He later went on to gain a BSc in economics and economic history at the University of Hull.
Maritime safety motivated John Prescott's decision to work as a full-time official for the National Union of Seamen between 1968 and 1970. He was elected Labour MP for Hull East in 1970 and held a series of Shadow Cabinet posts, dealing with regional affairs, employment, energy and transport. In 1994, John was elected Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, and appointed to the Privy Council.
Following the Labour Party's election in May 1997, John Prescott was appointed Deputy Prime Minister. One of his first actions was to amalgamate the department of Environment and Transport.
He married his wife Pauline, who he met in Chester, in 1961. They have two sons: Johnathan (Born 1963) and David (Born 1970)
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Among his hobbies, John lists jazz, the theatre, music and sub-aqua diving |
Although he came from a working class background and represents primarily working class people, John has astutely voiced the view that most of his constituents would realise anyway: that "once you are an MP you are no longer working class". But this doesn't prevent him from striving for equality of opportunity for those he represents. In fact, his own achievements shine as a perfect example that it is possible for most of us to improve our lot, and hopefully that of others, if we put our mind to it.
In Parliament he has held the following posts: Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Trade 1974-6; Opposition Spokesman on Transport 1979-81; Opposition Spokesman on Regional Affairs and Devolution 1981-83; Shadow Secretary of State for Transport 1983-84; Shadow Secretary of State for Employment 1984-87; Shadow Secretary of State for Energy 1987-88; Shadow Secretary of State for Transport 1988-93; Deputy Leader of the Labour Party/Opposition 1994- ; Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport, and the Regions 1997-2001; Deputy Prime Minister 1997- ; First Secretary of State 2001 -
Pearson/Rowley/Parrish/Batham/Gauden
Steve Pearson
PO Box 2483, Dudley, West Midlands, England, DY2 0YH
Tel: +44 (0)1384 571244 E-mail: Steve Pearson
©S Pearson 2002
