Sir Tony, ‘devastated’ by the news, also recalled Lord Prescott’s video calls during his final months. Mr. Brown smiles at the honesty tinged with frankness always displayed by Lord Prescott in private.

But the tale also spoke of this role of peacemaker that Lord Prescott had played behind the scenes. to keep the New Labor show on the road – and, perhaps, he was reminded of the healing power of time, even in politics.

The two men’s bristling dynamic had been established in the early 1980s when the smooth-talking Peter was hired to work under the plain-spoken John on transportation policy.

Lord Prescott – although, of course, the titles came later – was a Labor MP and shadow minister; Lord Mandelson, a young parliamentary researcher.

“You will do this very well,” Lord Mandelson remembers his senior saying to him at the time. “You are very skilled, you are good with the media. Just make sure you don’t get involved in politics.