Right to the Jaw
When Tony Blair talked about a clunking fist in the Queen’s Speech debate, everybody, including John Prescott – laughed.
Two years ago, I was behind the Deputy Prime Minister in a queue in the House of Commons tea room. He very menacingly turned around and asked “Why do you persecute me?” I assured him that I did not do so, had never done so, and had no idea what he was talking about. It transpired that he thought that I was my Parliamentary colleague, Andrew Robathan, who has indeed greatly interested himself in John Prescott’s various perks.
A year later, Tory and Labour MPs were voting together in the division lobby when a particularly ferocious looking John Prescott inched past me. He looked as if were about to practice his clunking fist on me so I quickly said “please do not hit me”. His reply “Don’t worry it’s the other officer type I am after” was something of a relief.
Regrettably, for the enjoyment of the nation, he will not be succeeding Tony Blair. I can also confidently predict that David Cameron will never receive a knock-out blow from Gordon Brown (we presume) either. Or even John Reid. The story may not be quite over yet…..