John Prescott’s son joins Greens
John Prescott’s Son Joins Green Party
Sky News has uncovered that David Prescott, the son of former Labour deputy prime minister John Prescott, has become a member of the Green Party. The announcement comes just over a year following the passing of his father, who served as a key figure in Tony Blair’s Labour government for a decade.
David Prescott, who shared his father’s political lineage, was spotted at a recent event in Gorton and Denton, where Green activists secured their first by-election win in history. The post featured a caption reading: “What. A. Day. Hope Beat Hate,” highlighting the significance of the milestone.
Defection Sparks Criticism
Karl Turner, Labour’s former representative for Hull East, expressed dismay over the defection, calling it “hugely disappointing” yet “no surprise.” He noted that David, like himself, was raised in a family deeply rooted in socialist values and trade unionism.
“David was born into the Labour Party and like myself he was from a rock-solid socialist and trade union family. Again like myself, David was politically active from a very young age. David was always his own man not his old man.”
Turner further speculated that John Prescott would be “furious” if he were alive today, attributing the sentiment to Labour’s failure in retaining progressive voters. “His anger would be aimed at the Labour Party for allowing progressive voters to leave Labour and go to what they see as a left-wing, more progressive alternative to the party he worked all of his adult life to elect into government, to change the lives of the many, not the few, for the better.”
Political Shift and Poll Trends
The Greens’ recent success in Gorton and Denton has raised concerns about Labour’s dwindling support. The party’s performance in the by-election was described as “one of its worst” defeats, with voters shifting to Reform and the Greens. This has intensified fears that Labour is losing ground not only to right-wing forces but also to its own progressive base.
According to a YouGov poll for Sky News, the Green Party has overtaken Labour in popularity, climbing four points to 21%. The pollster credited the surge partly to the publicity generated by the Gorton and Denton campaign.
David Prescott, one of John’s two sons with his wife Pauline, had previously sought Labour candidacy in several constituencies, including East Hull and Greenwich and Woolwich. Despite these efforts, he was not selected for his father’s seat in East Hull. However, he did win the Labour nomination for Gainsborough in 2015, only to lose to the Conservative candidate Edward Leigh.
In 2017, David was suspended from his role as an aide to Jeremy Corbyn after harassment allegations. He denied the claims, and the party did not revoke his membership, as no formal complaint was filed.
Reactions and Calls for Change
A Green Party source noted that David had not publicly commented on his switch, out of respect for fellow Labour members. “He was one of 2,000 people who came to Gorton and Denton to help get Hannah elected, and we thank him for his support,” the source said.
Following the by-election loss, some Labour MPs have urged the prime minister to reconsider his leadership. The event, which occurred amid rising tensions in the Middle East due to US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran, has been seen as a turning point for the party.
Labour MP John Trickett tweeted: “Labour lost votes in every direction and the same problem is replicated across the country. The result of bad political choices made by the PM. Labour needs new leadership.”
Another Labour representative told Sky News the outcome was a “punch in the face” for the party and Keir Starmer’s leadership. They argued that the government had alienated its core supporters and called for collaboration with progressive allies to regain momentum.
The prime minister admitted the Gorton and Denton result had been “very disappointing” but emphasized that by-election losses are a common challenge for ruling parties, vowing to “keep fighting” to recover support.
