John Prescott’s son joins Greens
John Prescott’s Son Joins Green Party
Following the passing of Labour’s former deputy prime minister John Prescott, his son David Prescott has transitioned to the Green Party, according to Sky News.
David’s father, who served with Tony Blair for a decade, joined the Greens in October 2025, a year following his father’s death. The party’s recent by-election triumph in Gorton and Denton, marking its first such success, was highlighted by a Facebook post featuring David alongside Green activists.
“David was born into the Labour Party and like myself, he was from a rock-solid socialist and trade union family,” said Karl Turner, who succeeded John Prescott as the Labour MP for Hull East in the 2010 general election.
Turner added: “Again like myself, David was politically active from a very young age. David was always his own man, not his old man.”
“I suspect John Prescott would be furious if he was around today. But his anger would be aimed at the Labour Party for allowing progressive voters to leave and gravitate toward what they see as a more left-wing alternative,” Turner continued.
The news comes after Labour suffered one of its worst by-election defeats in Gorton and Denton, finishing third behind Reform and the Greens. The result has intensified concerns within the party about losing votes to both Reform on the right and progressive supporters who have drifted away due to issues like its stance on the Gaza war.
On Tuesday, the Green Party surged ahead of Labour in a YouGov poll for Sky News, climbing four points to 21%. The pollster attributed this growth largely to the publicity surrounding the Gorton and Denton by-election.
David, one of John’s two sons with his wife Pauline, previously ran as a Labour candidate in several seats, including East Hull, Greenwich and Woolwich, and Hull West and Hessle, but failed to secure selection. However, he was successful in his bid for Gainsborough in the 2015 general election, though he lost to Conservative MP Edward Leigh.
In 2017, David was temporarily removed from his role as a Jeremy Corbyn aide following harassment allegations. He denied the claims, and the party did not suspend his membership at the time as no formal complaint was lodged.
“A Green Party source noted, ‘David hasn’t publicly spoken about his shift to show respect for Labour supporters, councillors, and MPs. But he was among 2,000 volunteers who helped secure Hannah’s victory in Gorton and Denton, and we’re grateful for his support.'”
Labour MPs have since called for a reassessment of leadership, with John Trickett from Normanton and Hemsworth stating, “Labour lost votes in every direction, and the same issue repeats across the country. This is the result of the prime minister’s decisions. Labour needs new leadership.”
Another Labour MP told Sky News the outcome was a “punch in the face for the Labour Party and for Keir Starmer’s premiership,” arguing that the party must collaborate with other progressive groups to retain its base. “Stopping Reform now is critical, but Labour can’t do it from arrogance or denial. We need democratic reform and to accept we don’t own the centre-left vote,” they said.
The prime minister admitted the Gorton and Denton defeat had been “very disappointing” but emphasized it was common for governing parties to lose by-elections and vowed to “keep fighting.”
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