He is the nation's most famous class warrior, the former Hull MP with little time for "flunkery and titles".But yesterday it was revealed that after 40 years at the sharp end of British politics, John Prescott is to leave his natural habitat and join the ermine-clad peers in the House of Lords.
Mr Prescott, or Lord Prescott as he will soon be known, was among more than 50 senior figures elevated to Parliament's upper chamber yesterday.
In a statement, the former Deputy PM said, "I welcome the opportunity to continue to campaign in Parliament for jobs, social justice and the environment as well as to hold this Con-Lib Government to account," he wrote on his blog.
His appointment as a life peer marks another stage in Mr Prescott's remarkable career, which has included spells as a trainee chef, ship's steward and trade union official.
Entering Parliament in 1970, he quickly made a name for himself with his plain-speaking and combative style. And when Labour swept to power in 1997, he was at the heart of British politics as Tony Blair's deputy and Downing Street power broker.
