Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03

John Leslie Prescott Biography and Timeline

Follow John Leslie Prescott through 24 dated historical records for Great Britain.

John Leslie Prescott, historical timeline

A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.

24Distinct records
1 of 1Page
1938–2008Years on this page

1938

Birth of John Leslie Prescot

Prestatyn · Politics / Labour Party

Birth of John Leslie Prescot

1961

Marriage

Government / Labour Party Government

John Prescott marries Pauline

1968

National Union of Seamen

Official-NUS · Government / Labour Party Government

Appointed Official of the National Union of Seamen

Role range: 1968-1970

1970

Member of Parliament

Member of Parliament for Hull · Hull · Government / Labour Party Government

Elected Member of Parliament for Hull East

1972

Council of Europe

Member of Council of Europe · Government / Labour Party Government

Appointed Member of Council of Europe

Role range: 1972-1975

1974

Election

Politics / Labour Party

Serves as a Member of European Parliament (MEP) and Leader of the Labour Group, when its members are nominated by the national Parliaments

1992

Election

Politics / Labour Party

Loses the election for the deputy leadership of the Labour Party

1994

Election

Deputy Leader of Labour Party · Politics / Labour Party

Elected Deputy Leader of the Labour Party

Role range: 1994-

Privy Council

Member of Privy Council · Government / Labour Party Government

Appointed Member of Privy Council

Role range: 1994-

1997

DETR

Deputy Prime Minister · Government / Labour Party Government

Appointed Deputy Prime Minister and given a very large portfolio as the head of the newly created Department for Environment, Transport and the Regions

Role range: 1997-2007 – 1997-2001

Deputy Prime Minister

Deputy Prime Minister · Government / Labour Party Government

Appointed Deputy Prime Minister and given a very large portfolio as the head of the newly created Department for Environment, Transport and the Regions. Appointed Deputy Prime Minister, 1st term

Role range: 1997-2007 – 1997-2001

1998

BRIT Awards

Deputy Prime Minister · Government / Labour Party Government

Whilst attending the BRIT Awards in 1998, Chumbawamba vocalist Danbert Nobacon pours a jug of iced water over Prescott, saying, "This is for the Liverpool Dockers"

Role range: 1997-2007 – 2001-

Labour Party Conference

Deputy Prime Minister · Government / Labour Party Government

Prescott is criticised by investors in the railway for his statement - at the Labour Party conference that year - that the privatised railway was a "national disgrace"

Role range: 1997-2007 – 2001-

Nationalization

Deputy Prime Minister · Government / Labour Party Government

Prescott is criticised by investors in the railway for his statement - at the Labour Party conference that year - that the privatised railway was a "national disgrace"

Role range: 1997-2007 – 2001-

2001

Deputy Prime Minister

Deputy Prime Minister · Government / Labour Party Government

Appointed Deputy Prime Minister, 2nd term

Role range: 1997-2007 – 2001-

ODPM

Deputy Prime Minister · Government / Labour Party Government

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is created in the Cabinet Office

Role range: 1997-2007 – 2001-

First Secretary of State

First Secretary of State · Government / Labour Party Government

Appointed First Secretary of State

Role range: 1997-2007 – 2001-

2002

ODPM

Deputy Prime Minister · Government / Labour Party Government

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is created as a Government Dept

Role range: 1997-2007 – 2001-

2005

Legislation

Deputy Prime Minister · Government / Labour Party Government

Prescott makes public his disapproval of Tony Blairs plans to give state schools the right to govern their finances and admission policies and to increase the number of city academies

Role range: 1997-2007 – 2001-

Reform of Royal Succession

Deputy Prime Minister · Government / Labour Party Government

Prescott makes public his disapproval of Tony Blairs plans to give state schools the right to govern their finances and admission policies and to increase the number of city academies

Role range: 1997-2007 – 2001-

2006

ODPM

Deputy Prime Minister · Government / Labour Party Government

In a Cabinet reshuffle Prescotts departmental responsibilities are transferred to Ruth Kelly, as Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, following revelations about his private life and a poor performance by Labour in UK

Role range: 1997-2007 – 2001-

Treaty of Kyoto

Deputy Prime Minister · Government / Labour Party Government

In recognition of his work in delivering the Kyoto Treaty, Tony Blair asks Prescott to work with the Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for the Environment on developing the Governments post-Kyoto agenda

Role range: 1997-2007 – 2001-

2007

Health of John Leslie Prescott

Deputy Prime Minister · Science / Medicine

Admitted to hospital after being taken ill on a train from his constituency in Hull to London King's Cross, diagnosed with pneumonia and treated at University College Hospital

Role range: 2001-

2008

Health of John Leslie Prescott

Deputy Prime Minister · Science / Medicine

Prescott announces he has the eating disorder bulimia nervosa, which he believed was brought on by stress since the 1980s

Role range: 2001-

Records, sources and methodology

These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.