Farewell to a Labour giant: past and present leaders come together for John Prescott's funeral
30 January 2025, 13:16
Former and current prime ministers Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and Sir Keir Starmer are among the mourners who have arrived for the funeral of Lord John Prescott.
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The service for the former deputy prime minister, who died in November aged 86, is being held at Hull Minster, in his former constituency.
Senior figures from past and current Labour governments are attending, including Prime Minister Sir Keir, who praised Lord Prescott for his "tenacity and vision" ahead of the service on Thursday.
Former home secretary Baroness Jacqui Smith, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle were among the first to arrive, followed by Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and former prime minister Gordon Brown were also at the minster before 11.30am, with the service due to start from 12pm.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and her husband and Labour politician Ed Balls were also in attendance.
Along with former prime minister Sir Tony Blair and his wife Cherie who were followed into the church by Lord Mandelson.
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Lord Prescott's coffin was carried into the minster as former Downing Street director of communications Alastair Campbell played the Welsh national anthem on the bagpipes.
More than 300 family members, friends and colleagues have been invited to the service.
Lord Prescott, who served as deputy prime minister under Sir Tony Blair between 1997 and 2007, died on November 20 last year in a nursing home where he had been living with Alzheimer's.
The service, hosted by the Rev Canon Dominic Black, included singing from the Choral-Hull children's choir, made up from pupils across the city.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations for Alzheimer's Research UK.
