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Housing Market Renewal Initiative

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The Housing Market Renewal Initiative ( HMRI ) or Housing Market Renewal (HMR) Pathfinders programme was a controversial scheme of demolition, refurbishment and new-building which ran in the UK between 2002 and 2011 and aimed "to renew failing housing markets in nine designated areas of the North and Midlands of England."

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87-459: The programme was launched in 2002 by deputy prime minister John Prescott , with the coalition government led by David Cameron ending funding in March 2011. Supporters of the scheme claimed that it would " renew failing housing markets and reconnect them to regional markets", "improve neighbourhoods and" "encourage people to live and work in these areas." Opponents claimed that "Britain's heritage

174-803: A "global giant". It was announced on 28 May 2010 that Prescott was to be awarded a life peerage , The peerage was gazetted on 15 June in the 2010 Dissolution Honours . He was introduced into the House on 8 July as Baron Prescott , of Kingston upon Hull in the County of East Yorkshire , and the Letters patent were gazetted on 12 July, dated 7 July. Prescott was a director of Super League rugby league club Hull Kingston Rovers , who are based in his former constituency of Kingston upon Hull East. Prescott ran for Labour Party Treasurer in September 2010 but

261-555: A Labour government in 1997 , Prescott was made Deputy Prime Minister and given a very large portfolio as the head of the newly created Department for Environment, Transport and the Regions . In the United Kingdom, the title of Deputy Prime Minister is used only occasionally, and confers no constitutional powers (in which it is similar to the pre-20th century usage of Prime Minister ). The deputy prime minister stands in when

348-645: A competition to find the "most typical British family of 1951". In 2009, he said: "I've always felt very proud of Wales and being Welsh ... I was born in Wales, went to school in Wales and my mother was Welsh. I'm Welsh. It's my place of birth, my country." He left Wales in 1942 at the age of four and was brought up initially in Brinsworth , Rotherham, in the West Riding of Yorkshire , England. He attended Brinsworth Manor School, where in 1949 he sat but failed

435-682: A consequence of the continuing problems centred on Prescott, Blair was preparing to replace him as Deputy Prime Minister with David Miliband , whilst possibly retaining Prescott as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party . In a speech to the 2006 Labour Party Conference in Manchester, Prescott apologised for the bad press he had caused the party during the previous year. He said: "I know in the last year I let myself down, I let you down. So Conference, I just want to say sorry", and confirmed that he would stand down as deputy leader when Blair resigned

522-497: A corruption of Hiretun or Oure ton (higher-town or over-town respectively). Everton is an ancient settlement and, like Liverpool, was one of the six unnamed berewicks of West Derby. For many centuries, Everton was a small township. An early type of census conducted in 1327 recorded nineteen heads of household, suggesting a population of approximately ninety-five individuals. By 1692, only 135 people lived in Everton, and by 1714,

609-459: A decade in advance should be supported by UK Central Government long-term funding commitments to 2019. As of June 2008, however, Central Government funding had been committed only to March 2011, and Parliamentary concerns were expressed "that demolition sites, rather than newly built houses, will be the Programme’s legacy". The Merseyside Pathfinder area is also known as NewHeartlands . The area

696-588: A diploma in economics and politics in 1965. In 1968, he obtained a BSc degree in economics and economic history from the University of Hull . Prescott returned to the National Union of Seamen as a full-time official before being elected to the House of Commons as Member of Parliament (MP) for Kingston upon Hull East in 1970, succeeding Commander Harry Pursey , the retiring Labour MP, and defeating

783-583: A guest on the television panel show Have I Got News For You . During the episode he had a "pretty heated" interaction with team captain Ian Hislop . In 2019, Prescott hosted the television series Made in Yorkshire (also known as Made in Britain: Yorkshire ) for Channel 5, in which he explored the manufacturing of some of Britain's favourite foods. Prescott gained a reputation in

870-488: A key issue. Prescott stood down as an MP at the next general election . His autobiography, Prezza, My Story: Pulling no Punches was published on 29 May 2008 and ghostwritten by Hunter Davies . During the 2010 general election campaign, Prescott toured the UK in a customised white transit van dubbed his "Battlebus" canvassing support for the Labour Party. Prescott was publicly very supportive of Gordon Brown , and called him

957-461: A member of the House of Lords on 9 July 2024 under the House of Lords Reform Act 2014 because of non-attendance in the preceding session of Parliament. He retained his peerage. In June 2008, Prescott made a cameo appearance, playing a policeman, in the BBC Radio 4 adaptation of Robert Tressell 's The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists . In 2009, he made a brief cameo appearance as himself in

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1044-547: A neglected waste – into a modern arcadia…’ Prominent in this context was James Atherton , a Liverpool merchant and real estate developer. Having acquired a substantial amount of land on Everton Hill and its surroundings, he embarked on the transformation of the north-west district of the township. Atherton laid-out several well-known streets, including Albion Crescent (now Albion Street), Northumberland Terrace, York Terrace, and Grecian Terrace, embellishing them with 'handsome mansions and delightful villas.' Additionally, he donated

1131-802: A new system of regulation, but that this meant that a final decision would not be taken before 2015. On 21 February 2015, it was announced Prescott would return to politics as an adviser to Labour leader Ed Miliband . This was a brief return, as Labour lost the imminent general election . In October 2015, Prescott was presented with the Shechtman International Leadership Award at the Sustainable Industrial Processing Summit 2015 in Antalya, Turkey, for his contributions to sustainable development in politics. Prescott ceased to be

1218-708: A poor performance by Labour in that year's local elections. He remained as Deputy Prime Minister, with a seat in the Cabinet, and was given a role as a special envoy to the Far East as well as additional responsibilities chairing cabinet committees. Despite having lost his departmental responsibilities it was announced that he would retain his full salary (£134,000pa) and pension entitlements, along with both his grace-and-favour homes, an announcement which received considerable criticism. The press speculated in July 2006 that, as

1305-710: A radio interview in January 1998, Prescott was asked about housing development on the green belt; intending to convey that the government would enlarge green belt protection, Prescott replied: "It's a Labour achievement, and we mean to build on it". He had not intended to make a joke and was distressed when it prompted laughter. In the north of England, Prescott approved the demolition of some 200,000 homes that were judged to be in "failing areas" as part of his Pathfinder regeneration scheme. It has been argued that renovating properties, rather than demolishing them, would have made better financial and community sense. Prescott led

1392-524: A reputation as a key conciliator in the often fractious relationship between Blair and Gordon Brown . Born in Prestatyn , Wales, in his youth Prescott failed the eleven-plus entrance exam for grammar school and worked as a ship's steward and trade union activist. He went on to graduate from Ruskin College and the University of Hull . In the 1994 Labour Party leadership election , he stood for both

1479-653: A similar electoral system to that used for the London Assembly . However, because of opposition, the government was forced to hold regional referendums on the change. The first three were intended to be in the North-East, North-West and Yorkshire and the Humber. The North-East referendum , where support was felt to be strongest, was first, in November 2004, but the vote was 78% against, an overwhelming margin, and

1566-415: A substantial change in the character of the township, with a disproportionately large number of its population listed as merchants or gentlemen not engaged in trade. Writing of this period in 1869, James Stonehouse recalled that 'Fifty years ago Everton was a courtly place, wherein resided the richest merchants, the most distinguished citizens, and the most fashionable and leading families. Indeed, so high did

1653-421: Is John". A National Opinion Polls (NOP) survey found that the incident did no public harm to Prescott, and may even have benefited his standing amongst male voters. Speaking on Top Gear , Prescott stated: "I was against fox-hunting, and he thought I was one of the guys he hated because I wanted to keep fox-hunting". He elaborated: When I walked past this guy, and he hit me with the egg, right, I don't know it

1740-661: Is being 'rapidly lost' by botched renovation and unnecessary demolition - in particular the bulldozing of Victorian terraced housing across the north west of England." and that it was "a programme of class cleansing". The nine Pathfinder partnerships announced in April 2002 were Birmingham / Sandwell , East Lancashire , Hull and East Riding , Manchester / Salford , Merseyside , Newcastle / Gateshead , North Staffordshire , Oldham / Rochdale , and South Yorkshire . In 2005, three further areas of low demand were also identified; West Yorkshire , West Cumbria , and Tees Valley . HMRI

1827-599: Is derived from the Saxon word eofor , meaning wild boar that lives in forests . In 1830, local historian Robert Syers proposed an alternative origin for Everton's name. He noted that earlier residents called it 'Yerton', a claim supported by James Stonehouse, his near contemporary, some thirty years later. Syers contended that in the Domesday Book of 1086, Everton was labelled Hiretun, meaning higher-town, signifying its elevated position. He suggested 'Yerton' could be

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1914-414: Is now mainly non-urban with the loss of so many people and many hundreds of buildings. A new district centre on Great Homer Street was opened in 2017, code named 'Project Jennifer' it was advertised as a scheme to breathe new life into the rundown parts of Everton centred on Great Homer Street including a revamped 'Greaty' (branded Greatie ) market. The project suffered numerous delays and setbacks through

2001-553: The 11-Plus examination to attend Rotherham Grammar School . Shortly afterwards, his family moved to Upton-by-Chester , and he attended Grange Secondary Modern School in nearby Ellesmere Port . Prescott became a steward and waiter in the Merchant Navy , working for Cunard , and was a popular left-wing union activist. Prescott's time in the Merchant Navy included a cruise from England to New Zealand in 1957. Among

2088-766: The BBC 's Top Gear as the "Star in the Reasonably Priced Car", where he set a lap time of 1.56.7, the second slowest in a Kia Ceed . He also engaged in a discussion with host Jeremy Clarkson regarding his time in Government. In October and November 2008, Prescott was the subject of a two-part documentary, Prescott: the Class System and Me , on BBC Two, looking at the class system in Britain, and asking whether it still exists. In 2009, he featured in

2175-618: The BBC Wales TV series Coming Home about his Welsh family history, with roots in Prestatyn and Chirk . In October 2009, he was featured in another BBC Two documentary, Prescott: The North/South Divide , in which he and his wife Pauline explored the current state of the North-South Divide from their perspective as Northern Englanders long used to living in the south of the country. In April 2015 Prescott appeared as

2262-859: The Brit Awards in 1998, Chumbawamba vocalist Danbert Nobacon poured a jug of iced water over Prescott, saying, "This is for the Liverpool Dockers ". Dock workers in Liverpool had been involved in a two-year industrial dispute: a strike that had turned into a lock-out , until a few weeks earlier. A reporter from the Daily Mirror threw water over Nobacon the following day. In a Cabinet reshuffle on 5 May 2006, Prescott's departmental responsibilities were transferred to Ruth Kelly , as Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government , following revelations about his private life and

2349-534: The election to be the first Police and crime commissioner for Humberside Police . In June he was selected as the Labour candidate for the election in November 2012. In the November election Prescott won the most first preference votes but ended up losing to Conservative Matthew Grove in the second count. In March 2013, Prescott suggested that the Queen, Elizabeth II , should abdicate due to her health. Prescott

2436-528: The leadership and deputy leadership , winning election to the latter office. He was appointed deputy prime minister after Labour's victory in the 1997 election , with an expanded brief as Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions until 2001, then subsequently as First Secretary of State until 2007. In June 2007, he resigned as deputy prime minister, coinciding with Blair's resignation as prime minister. Following an election within

2523-482: The 20th century. St Domingo Road in Everton was the intended site for the building of the Metropolitan Cathedral , but this was abandoned owing to financial constraints. The cathedral was eventually located in the city centre near to the southern edge of Everton. Everton was formerly a township in the parish of Walton-on-the-Hill , in 1866 Everton became a separate civil parish , on 1 April 1922

2610-504: The Code of Conduct gives guidance on when councillors have an interest in a matter under discussion and when that interest is prejudicial so that the councillor may not speak or vote on the matter. Although on many areas councillors had previously been expected to withdraw where they had declared an interest, the new system was more formal and introduced specific sanctions for breaches; it was criticised for preventing councillors from representing

2697-648: The Conservative challenger Norman Lamont . He had previously attempted to become MP for Southport in 1966, but came in second place, approximately 9,500 votes behind the Conservative candidate. From July 1975 to 1979, he concurrently served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) and Leader of the Labour Group, when its members were nominated by the national Parliaments. In 1988 Prescott and Eric Heffer challenged Roy Hattersley for

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2784-549: The June 1996 prospectus for the sale of Railtrack shares, and was widely regarded as having depressed the price of the shares. In 1998, Prescott was criticised by Transport Minister John Reid for his statement – at the Labour Party conference that year – that the privatised railway was a "national disgrace", despite receiving a standing ovation from the Labour Party audience. The companies said that they had had some considerable successes in cutting costs and generating new revenues in

2871-508: The Labour Party, he was replaced as deputy leader by Harriet Harman . After retiring as a member of Parliament at the 2010 general election , Prescott was made a life peer and sat in the House of Lords until 2024. He stood unsuccessfully as the Labour candidate in the 2012 election to be the first police and crime commissioner for Humberside Police . Prescott resigned from the Privy Council in 2013 in protest against delays to

2958-482: The Mayor of Liverpool, who both responded with written statements or brush-offs. Part of the film shows an 82-year-old being forcefully evicted from her freehold house after a compulsory purchase order. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation, a poverty charity, reported at an early stage that (while remaining generally supportive of the scheme), it was necessary for its success that financial, legal and moral commitments made up to

3045-645: The UK delegation at the discussions. In May 2006, in recognition of his work in delivering the Kyoto Treaty, Tony Blair asked him to work with the Foreign Secretary and the Environment Secretary on developing the Government's post-Kyoto agenda. As minister on 24 August 1999, Prescott made regulations banning the use of chrysotile asbestos, which resulted in a complete ban on the use of any products containing asbestos in

3132-468: The United Kingdom between 1995 and 2007 creating a wealth effect had not been replicated in such areas. Instead, such areas experienced, according to an early independent study of Pathfinder, "high vacancy rates, increasing population turnover, low sales values and, in some cases, neighbourhood abandonment and market failure ". The basis was a report by the Centre for Urban and Regional Studies (CURS) at

3219-551: The United Kingdom from 24 November 1999. On coming to office, Prescott pursued an integrated public transport policy. On 6 June 1997, he said: "I will have failed if in five years time there are not...far fewer journeys by car. It's a tall order but I urge you to hold me to it." However, by June 2002, car traffic was up by 7%. This prompted Friends of the Earth 's Tony Bosworth to say "By its own test, Government transport policy has failed". Prescott successfully focused attention on

3306-547: The University of Birmingham, which informed lobbying by the National Housing Federation of the Government's 2002 Comprehensive Spending Review. From the beginning on there was criticism of HMRI, from residents of the affected areas, politicians as well as experts in the field of historic buildings. Save Britain's Heritage have published an analysis of the pathfinder scheme that is highly critical of

3393-485: The alternative policy, produced by shadow transport secretary Clare Short , that the industry should be subjected to closer regulation by the to-be-created Strategic Rail Authority in the case of the passenger train operators, and the Rail Regulator in the case of the monopoly and dominant elements in the industry, principally Railtrack. The policy was spelled out in some detail in the Labour Party's statement in

3480-509: The area of Walton since 1892. In addition, Everton Cemetery is also not located in Everton, it lies further north-east in the district of Fazakerley . The football club Liverpool F.C. was originally founded as 'Everton Football Club and Athletic Ground Company, Ltd', or 'Everton Athletic', on 26 January 1892, as a consequence of the Everton F.C. split that resulted in Everton F.C.'s move to Goodison Park in 1892. The former Evertonians who founded 'Everton Athletic' to play at Anfield renamed

3567-541: The campaign to abolish council housing, which ran out of steam when tenants in Birmingham voted to stay with the council in 2002. A previous attempt to privatise all the council housing in the London Borough of Camden failed in 1997. On 17 December 2005, Prescott made public his disapproval of Tony Blair 's plans to give state schools the right to govern their finances and admission policies and to increase

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3654-514: The deputy leadership of the party, but Hattersley was re-elected as deputy leader. Prescott stood again in the 1992 deputy leadership election , following Hattersley's retirement, but lost to Margaret Beckett . Prescott held various posts in Labour's shadow cabinet , but his career was secured by an impassioned closing speech in the debate at the Labour Party Conference in 1993 on the introduction of "one member, one vote" for

3741-409: The early 19th century Liverpool's demand for housing saw Everton begin to be built up. In 1821 the population was 2109 and by 1829 it had risen to an estimated 3763 (calculated from 579 inhabited houses). Everton became part of Liverpool in 1835. Commenting on the transformation of Everton in 1869, Stonehouse noted that 'Within the last fifteen years…the process of metamorphosis has gone on until one of

3828-506: The east by Kingsley Road and to the north by Eversley Street. Other streets in the area have been demolished and rebuilt and are not included in the renewal area. The local authority also refers to their plans as the '4 streets project', reflecting the fact that 4 streets are covered: Beaconsfield Street, Cairns Street, Jermyn Street and Ducie Street. All these streets cross or lead off Granby Street. John Prescott John Leslie Prescott, Baron Prescott (31 May 1938 – 20 November 2024)

3915-500: The final episode of the BBC Three comedy series Gavin & Stacey (this referred to a running joke in the show regarding a relationship the character Nessa had had with him many years previously). Beginning on 7 January 2011, Prescott appeared in a TV advert for price comparison website moneysupermarket.com , along with comedian Omid Djalili , which gently mocks events in his political career. On 27 February 2011, he appeared on

4002-711: The government, Prescott took over from Tony Lloyd as the lead UK Representative in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe . In a jocular response to the appointment, Shadow Europe Minister Mark Francois wished the translators good luck. The post was unpaid but had an expenses allowance and allowed him to sit on the Assembly of the Western European Union . He used his role on the council to make his campaign against slave labour

4089-413: The inhabitants hold their heads, in consequence of their wealth, stability, and position, that they were termed “Everton nobles.”’ In his History of Everton , published in 1830, Robert Syers wrote of the merchants, 'It is this class of persons, principally, that has made Everton what it is; their wealth and attention have transformed a spot which, not long ago, was little better than an unsightly common –

4176-464: The introduction of press regulation, of which he had become a proponent. In February 2015, he briefly returned to politics as an adviser to Labour leader Ed Miliband . Prescott was born in Prestatyn , Wales, on 31 May 1938 to John Herbert ("Bert") Prescott and Phyllis, née  Parrish . Prescott's father was a railway signalman , Justice of the Peace , and Labour councillor. His family won

4263-435: The land for the construction of St. George’s Church . Notably, James Atherton's impact extended beyond Everton, founding the seaside resort of New Brighton in 1830. He was laid to rest at St George's Church. Before 1803, the site of St George's Church was occupied by the Everton beacon, one of the area's most famous landmarks. It was a modest square tower built from local red sandstone. Standing at approximately 25 feet,

4350-513: The middle or lower classes was minimal, in terms of both demeanour and lifestyle. Until the late 18th century Everton was a small rural parish of Walton-on-the-Hill , but the rise in prosperity of nearby Liverpool pushed its wealthier merchants towards Everton and further afield. The population of the township experienced significant growth during this period. By 1769, the population had risen to 253 individuals, reaching 370 by 1790, 499 by 1801, and 913 by 1811. A record of citizens from 1815 reveals

4437-609: The nickname "Two Jabs", a reference to his existing nickname, "Two Jags". Everton, Liverpool Everton is a suburb of north Liverpool , in Merseyside , England, and part of the Liverpool Walton constituency. It is bordered by Vauxhall to the west, Kirkdale to the north, and Anfield to the north-east. Historically in Lancashire , at the 2011 Census the population was 14,782. The name Everton

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4524-401: The number of city academies . It was the first policy stance that Prescott had made against Blair since his election as leader in 1994. Prescott said that the move would create a two-tier educational system that would discriminate against the working class. He added that Labour were "always better fighting class". Prescott, sometimes described as old-school trades unionist, kept in touch with

4611-420: The parish was abolished and merged with Liverpool. In 1921 the parish had a population of 124,414. Urban clearance during the 1960s and 1970s, followed by the creation of Everton Park , changed the face of the area and some parts have never recovered. The population has plummeted by over 100,000 since the 1960s; Everton Park has replaced the densely packed streets with fields and trees. The landscape of Everton

4698-621: The passengers was a former prime minister, Anthony Eden , recuperating after his resignation over the Suez Crisis . Prescott reportedly described Eden as a "real gentleman". Apart from serving Eden, who stayed in his cabin much of the time, Prescott also won several boxing contests, at which Eden presented the prizes. He married Pauline "Tilly" Tilston at Upton Church in Chester on 11 November 1961. He then went to Ruskin College , which specialises in courses for union officials, where he gained

4785-473: The plan for elected regional assemblies was shelved. A rising number of households (especially in the south-east) were putting added pressure on housing during Prescott's tenure as the minister responsible. An increase in the housebuilding was proposed, primarily on brownfield sites, but also on some undeveloped greenfield areas and as a result he was accused of undermining the Green Belt . During

4872-468: The pleasantest suburbs of Liverpool has become as life-teeming, cottage-bearing, and street-streaming as the densest part of Liverpool itself. Hosts of cottages now swarm up the hill sides, scramble over the top, and flood the plain on its summit. Along with neighbouring Vauxhall, Everton housed a very large Irish population . Sectarianism was one negative consequence of religious differences with tensions between Catholics and Protestants existing well into

4959-414: The population had not exceeded 140 inhabitants. Before the middle of the eighteenth century, the residents were primarily individuals of modest means, engaged in agricultural activities as landowners and cultivators. Occasionally wealthier settlers, along with their families, who had withdrawn from commercial pursuits, chose to reside in Everton. During this time, the distinction between the upper classes and

5046-481: The premiership. Prescott subsequently announced in the House of Commons that he was "... in a rather happy demob stage", in January 2007. Within 30 minutes of Blair announcing the date of his resignation on 10 May 2007, Prescott announced his resignation as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party. During the subsequent special Labour Party Conference, Gordon Brown was elected Leader and Harriet Harman succeeded Prescott as Deputy Leader. Following his resignation from

5133-613: The press for confused speech, mangled syntax and poor grammar. The Guardian columnist Simon Hoggart once commented: "Every time Prescott opens his mouth, it's like someone has flipped open his head and stuck in an egg whisk." An oft-quoted but unverified story in Jeremy Paxman 's The Political Animal is that, before being accepted as transcribers to the Parliamentary record Hansard , applicants must listen to one of Prescott's speeches and write down what they think he

5220-402: The prime minister is unavailable, most visibly at Prime Minister's Questions , and Prescott attended various Heads of Government meetings on behalf of Prime Minister Tony Blair. Since the position of deputy prime minister draws no salary, Prescott's remuneration was based on his position as Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions until 2001 . This "super department"

5307-450: The proposal and construction stages, but was ultimately opened in June 2017, with the opening of a Sainbury's supermarket. The NSPCC Hargreaves Centre (named after locally born benefactor John Hargreaves ) was opened in May 2007 on the site of the former indoor market. The football club Everton F.C. (originally called St. Domingo F.C.) is named after the area (St. Domingo Methodist Chapel

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5394-462: The proposals. Some local resident organisations opposed the plans for their areas, such as: while other residents groups have supported the policy and participated in its delivery. Property Scandal , a Channel 4 TV series and campaign, has been highly critical of Pathfinder schemes, broadcasting interviews with a central government housing minister - who appointed the presenter an independent advisor - and attempted interviews with Sefton Council and

5481-494: The railway industry needed a considerable shake-up in its institutional, operational, engineering and economic matrix to attract and retain private investment and enable the companies within it to become strong, competent and successful. Prescott, responsible for local government, introduced a new system guiding members' conduct after 2001. The new system included a nationally agreed Code of Conduct laid down by statutory instrument which all local authorities were required to adopt;

5568-478: The railway industry. He had vigorously opposed the privatisation of the industry while the Labour Party was in opposition, and disliked the party's policy, established in 1996 just before the flotation of Railtrack on the London Stock Exchange , of committing to renationalise the industry only when resources allowed, which he saw as meaning that it would never be done. Reluctantly, he supported

5655-426: The role of car usage in the bigger environmental picture, and the need for effective public transport alternatives if car volume was to be reduced. The subsequent debate on road pricing evolved from his policy. A contrast was highlighted between Prescott's transport brief and an incident, in 1999, when an official chauffeur-driven car was used to transport Prescott and his wife 250 yards (230 m) from their hotel to

5742-408: The selection and reselection of Labour Parliamentary candidates that helped swing the vote in favour of this reform. In 1994 Prescott was a candidate in the party leadership election that followed the death of leader John Smith , standing for the positions of both leader and deputy leader . Tony Blair won the leadership contest, with Prescott being elected deputy leader. With the formation of

5829-425: The short time since their transfer to private sector hands, and that the criticisms were premature and unfair. In that speech, Prescott also announced that he would be taking a far tougher line with the companies, and to that end he would be having a "spring clean" of the industry. In July 1998 Prescott published a transport White Paper stating that the rail industry needed an element of stability and certainty if it

5916-570: The sobriquets became more colourful, leading to "Two Jags", which set the template for later nicknames. Prescott owned one Jaguar , and had the use of another as his official ministerial car. A later version of this term was "Two Jabs", following his retaliation against a protester farmer in 2001, and "Two Shacks", referring to his former country house . When he lost his department in a cabinet reshuffle following exposure of his affair, newspapers dubbed him "Two Shags" and "No Jobs". Banned from driving after being convicted of speeding in 1991, Prescott

6003-460: The tower's square-headed windows became frameless and exposed to the elements and its only inhabitants were the cattle grazing in beacon-field. By December 1802, the beacon was in a dilapidated state with an earth and clay floor, a deteriorated fireplace, and its upper apartment described as 'bare, cheerless, and dungeon-like'. Debate surrounds the beacon's construction date, with suggestions generally ranging from pre- Armada to post-1327. Its fate

6090-410: The two-storied tower featured a ground floor serving as a kitchen, an apartment above for the guard, and a flat roof or terrace for the beacon fire. A turret at the northwest corner provided shelter for the watchman. The interior had a stone staircase leading to the upper room, and a similar flight to the roof, which offered views of up to thirty miles, or fifty miles if conditions were optimal. Over time,

6177-480: The venue of the Labour Party Conference, where Prescott gave a speech on how to encourage the use of public transport. Prescott explained, "Because of the security reasons for one thing and second, my wife doesn't like to have her hair blown about. Have you got another silly question?" Prescott was fined for speeding on four occasions. Prescott had a stormy relationship with the privatisation of

6264-515: The views of the traditional Labour voters throughout his career. He became an important figure in Tony Blair 's " New Labour " movement, as the representative of 'old Labour' interests in the Shadow cabinet and subsequently around the Cabinet table as Deputy Prime Minister. However, now a member of the establishment, relationships with the grass roots were not always smooth. Whilst attending

6351-532: The views of their local communities. Prescott supported regional government in England. Early in his term, he introduced regional assemblies consisting of delegates from local authorities and other regional stakeholders to oversee the work of new Regional Development Agencies in the regions of England. Following Labour's second election victory, he pressed for the introduction of elected regional assemblies, which would have seen about 25 to 35 members elected under

6438-404: The war ended. In 2016, after publication of the resultant Chilcot Report, which was critical of the war but remained neutral on its legality, Prescott declared that the invasion by UK and US forces had been "illegal" and that members of Tony Blair's Cabinet "were given too little paper documentation to make decisions". In February 2012, Prescott announced he would stand for Labour's nomination in

6525-542: Was a British politician who served as Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and as First Secretary of State from 2001 to 2007. A member of the Labour Party , he was Member of Parliament (MP) for Kingston upon Hull East for 40 years, from 1970 to 2010. He was often seen as the political link to the working class in a Labour Party increasingly led by modernising, middle-class professionals such as Tony Blair and Peter Mandelson , and developed

6612-442: Was an egg, I just feel this very warm thing running down my neck and I think, well I just think somebody's perhaps knifed me or assaulted me, you know, that all happens in a split second, and I see this fellow built like a bloody barn door, and I turned, and I reacted, and when Tony [Blair] asked me, er, what happened I said I was carrying out his orders; he told us to connect with the electorate, so I did. This incident earned Prescott

6699-492: Was banned again after a similar conviction in June 2015. During the 2001 election campaign , Prescott was campaigning in Rhyl , Denbighshire , when Craig Evans threw an egg at him. Prescott, a former amateur boxer , responded immediately with a left jab punch to the jaw. The incident, overshadowing the launch of the Labour Party manifesto on that day, was captured by television cameras. Tony Blair responded by stating: "John

6786-469: Was broken up into geographical parts: Dingle , Granby, Arundel, Picton, Abercromby, Smithdown, Kensington , Tuebrook , Everton , Breckfield, Anfield , Vauxhall , Melrose and County. The area of Toxteth is located close to the historic Princes Park . The streets include Beaconsfield Street, Cairns Street, Ducie Street, Jermyn Street and Granby Street. These streets are bound to the west by Princes Avenue with large, representative Victorian Houses, to

6873-474: Was criticised for his position by several MPs. On 6 July 2013, Prescott revealed in a newspaper column that he had resigned from the Privy Council in protest against the delays to the introduction of press regulation. The resignation only became effective on 6 November the same year. The Coalition Government had insisted that the Privy Council must consider a cross-party Royal Charter to underpin

6960-518: Was defeated by Diana Holland , who took 68.96% of the total vote. On 30 July 2010, Prescott appeared before the panel at the Chilcot Inquiry concerning the Iraq War . Prescott stated that he was doubtful about the legality, intelligence and information about Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction . The inquiry was launched by Gordon Brown in the summer of 2009 shortly after operations in

7047-540: Was in Everton). The district is also the location of a building on the club's crest, Everton Lock-Up , known locally as Prince Rupert's Tower. Barker and Dobson, a local sweet manufacturer, introduced 'Everton Mints' to honour Everton Football Club. Ironically, Everton F.C. has never actually played in the area. Its first three homes were located in Anfield, including Stanley Park; the club has played at Goodison Park in

7134-570: Was originally part of the Cabinet Office , but became a department in its own right in May 2002, when it absorbed some of the responsibilities of the former Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions. The ODPM had responsibility for local and regional government, housing, communities and the fire service. The UK played a major role in the successful negotiations on the Kyoto Protocol on climate change and Prescott led

7221-466: Was sealed in 1803 when, during a stormy night, the structure collapsed. Speculation persists that it might have been deliberately undermined by someone viewing it and its visitors as a nuisance. Notably, during the English Civil War , the beacon served as a venue for marriages following the expulsion of loyal clergy from Liverpool , foreshadowing the future use of the site for a church. By

7308-703: Was started in 2002, from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM), at the time responsible for the Department for Communities and Local Government . The Labour Government had adopted as one of its policies the improvement of urban areas that had suffered numerous social problems, originating from decline of traditional industries in the North of England, like the closure of coal mines, ship yards, textile industry. Rapidly rising house prices throughout

7395-401: Was then broken up, with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Department for Transport established as separate entities. Prescott, still deputy prime minister, was also given the largely honorific title of First Secretary of State . In July 2001 an Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) was created to administer the areas remaining under his responsibility. This

7482-572: Was to plan its activities effectively. In February 1999, the regulation of the passenger rail operators fell to Sir Alastair Morton , who Prescott announced would be appointed as chairman of the Strategic Rail Authority, which would take over from the Director of Passenger Rail Franchising whose office would be wound up. In July 1999, the new Rail Regulator appointed by Prescott was Tom Winsor . They shared Prescott's view that

7569-538: Was trying to say. However, Liz Davies wrote that on the Labour National Executive Committee , Prescott "spoke in clear, concise sentences and his point was always understandable. Contrary to his television and parliamentary image, he appears to choose his words with care." The media attached various sobriquets to Prescott during his political career. Originally, Prescott's nickname was "Prezza", but as various misfortunes befell him

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