John Prescott’s son joins Greens

John Prescott’s Son Joins Green Party

Sky News has learned that David Prescott, the son of former Labour deputy prime minister John Prescott, has become a member of the Green Party.

David, who served with Sir Tony Blair for a decade, joined the Greens in October 2025, a year following his father’s passing. His political journey has seen him run for Labour in several constituencies, including his father’s East Hull seat, but he ultimately shifted allegiance.

“What. A. Day. Hope Beat Hate.” – David Prescott’s Facebook caption alongside Green activists in Gorton and Denton, where the party secured its first by-election triumph.

Karl Turner, who took over John Prescott’s Hull East seat in 2010, described the defection as “a major blow” but noted it was “not unexpected.” He emphasized David’s roots in the Labour Party, born into a family with a strong socialist legacy and deep ties to trade unions.

“David was always his own man, not his old man.” – Turner highlighted David’s independent streak, despite his family’s political history. He speculated that John Prescott would have been “furious” had he witnessed the move, but pointed to Labour’s role in driving progressive voters toward more radical alternatives.

The Greens’ rise in the Gorton and Denton by-election has sparked concerns within Labour. The result confirmed fears that the party faces a dual threat: losing votes to Reform on the right and struggling to retain progressive supporters disillusioned by its stance on the Gaza conflict.

Following the by-election, Labour’s performance in the region was underscored by a YouGov poll for Sky News, which saw the Greens surge to second place with 21% support—a four-point increase. The pollster attributed this growth partly to the publicity surrounding the Gorton and Denton contest.

David Prescott, one of John’s two sons with his wife Pauline, had previously contested Labour nominations in East Hull, Greenwich and Woolwich, and Hull West and Hessle without success. However, he managed to secure a role as Labour’s candidate for Gainsborough in 2015, though he lost to the Conservative Edward Leigh.

In 2017, David was suspended from his position as an aide to Jeremy Corbyn amid harassment allegations. He denied the claims, and the party did not revoke his membership as no formal complaint was filed.

A Green Party representative noted that David had not publicly discussed his switch to avoid upsetting Labour allies. Nevertheless, he was among 2,000 volunteers who campaigned for Hannah, the candidate who won the by-election.

Labour MPs have since expressed dismay over the defeat, with some calling for a reassessment of leadership. John Trickett, representing Normanton and Hemsworth, stated on X that the loss reflected “bad political choices” by the prime minister and urged the party to embrace cooperation with other progressive groups.

Another Labour member argued that the current government has “burned its base,” alienating core supporters and activists. They emphasized that voters are “walking away” due to a lack of fundamental change, suggesting Labour must “accept we do not own the centre-left vote” and pursue a “clean break” from its existing trajectory.

The prime minister acknowledged the Gorton and Denton outcome as “very disappointing” but maintained that by-election losses are “not uncommon” for governing parties. He vowed to “keep fighting” despite the setback.