The charismatic deputy prime minister, who has died at the age of 86, was known best for punching a member of the electorate and acting as a vital bridge for Tony Blair to reach the unions

John Prescott, Britain's longest-serving deputy prime minister who died on Wednesday, was indispensable to Tony Blair's New Labour government, a working-class trailblazer who connected with the public in ways most politicians cannot.

Former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has passed away at the age of 86 after battling Alzheimer's disease. Tony Blair, under whom Prescott served from 1997 to 2007, led the tributes, praising him as a "loyal and unique" figure in British politics.