John Prescott’s son joins Greens

John Prescott’s Son Aligns with Green Party

Sky News has learned that David Prescott, the offspring of former Labour deputy prime minister John Prescott, has officially become a member of the Green Party. The announcement follows the passing of his father, who served alongside Tony Blair for a decade.

David Prescott, who previously contested multiple Labour races, including his father’s constituency of East Hull, has now shifted allegiance. His decision came in October 2025, a year after John Prescott’s death. In a recent post, David was pictured with Green campaigners in Gorton and Denton, where the party secured its inaugural by-election triumph.

“What. A. Day. Hope Beat Hate.” – Caption accompanying David Prescott’s social media post.

Karl Turner, who took over John Prescott’s former seat in the 2010 general election, expressed mixed feelings about the defection. “This move is deeply disappointing, yet not entirely unexpected,” he remarked.

“David was raised in a Labour household and shared the values of his socialist and union-rooted family. He was politically engaged from an early age, always forging his own path rather than following in his father’s footsteps.” – Karl Turner.

Turner speculated that John Prescott would have been dismayed had he lived. “He’d likely direct his frustration toward Labour for enabling progressive voters to seek a more left-leaning alternative,” he noted.

Labour’s recent performance in Gorton and Denton has sparked internal concerns. The party’s worst by-election loss in that area highlighted fears of losing progressive support to both Reform and the Greens. A YouGov poll for Sky News revealed the Greens surged to second place, rising four points to 21%.

David’s political journey included several unsuccessful Labour bids. He ran in East Hull, Greenwich and Woolwich, and Hull West and Hessle but was not selected. In 2015, he narrowly lost the Gainsborough contest to Conservative Edward Leigh.

David’s suspension from Jeremy Corbyn’s team in 2017 followed harassment allegations. Though he denied the claims, the party did not revoke his membership as no formal complaint was filed.

“David hasn’t publicly commented on his switch to respect his Labour colleagues, yet he was among 2,000 volunteers who aided Hannah’s campaign in Gorton and Denton.” – Green Party representative.

Following the by-election outcome, some Labour MPs criticized the prime minister’s leadership. John Trickett, representing Normanton and Hemsworth, tweeted: “Labour’s vote loss is widespread, reflecting national challenges. This is the result of the PM’s poor choices. Leadership renewal is essential.”

Another Labour figure called the result a “blow to the party and Starmer’s tenure,” arguing for collaboration with other progressive groups. “The government has alienated its core supporters and activists. It’s no wonder voters are departing,” they said.

Labour’s base faces dual threats: losing support to Reform on the right and progressive voters shifting to the Greens. The prime minister acknowledged the setback as “disappointing” but emphasized that by-election losses are routine for governing parties.

Read more from Sky News: “My Run-In With John Prescott” and “Can Starmer Reclaim Leadership?”