British politician John Prescott, a pugnacious and personable former merchant seaman who rose to the post of deputy prime minister in Tony Blair's Labour government, has died at age 86.Prescott’s family announced his death on Thursday.

Former deputy prime minister John Prescott has died at the age of 86 after battling Alzheimer’s, his family announced. The Labour veteran, who was a pivotal figure in Sir Tony Blair’s New Labour project,

He was a cruise ship waiter before rising in the trade union movement and becoming one of the country’s best-known Labour politicians under Tony Blair.

That's just one of the reasons Prescott is often compared to the current deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner, noted The Guardian. They were both brought up working class, became Labour MPs after working in the trade union movement, and were "frequently patronised or demonised by Tories and the media, partly on the grounds of class snobbery".

The BBC's political editor for Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, Tim Iredale, described Prescott as a "man of the people". Karl Turner, the Labour MP for East Hull, said his contribution to public life will never be forgotten.

People in Southampton have paid tribute as John Prescott, who served as deputy prime minister to Tony Blair from 1997 to 2007, has died at the age of 86. It was announced on Thursday morning that the former MP had passed away following a battle with Alzheimer’s.