Support our Nation today - please donate here
News

Blair recalls famous incident in which John Prescott hit a protester in north Wales

21 Nov 2024 3 minute read
John Prescott being surrounded by protesters after he was hit by an egg – Image David Kendall

Sir Tony Blair has recalled John Prescott throwing a punch at a protester in north Wales, saying “there were no rules that he really abided by”.

Lord Prescott hit the headlines on the general election campaign trail in 2001 after throwing a left-handed punch at a man who threw an egg at him.

The ex-merchant seaman earned the nickname “two jabs” following the incident in Rhyl – a variation on “two Jags”, which referred to his fondness for luxury cars.

Former prime minister Sir Tony told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Thursday he “had a lot of really funny times” with his deputy, adding “he could be a very amusing guy”.

Punch

Clearly emotional, he said: “I was just thinking this morning about the the time when in the 2001 election – remember when someone smashed an egg on his head and he turned around and he punched the guy and laid him out?

“This caused a huge sort of fracas, this was an immense media story, and we had to give a press conference in the election campaign the next day.

“And some people were saying, ‘Well, look, he’s deputy prime minister, you can’t have a deputy prime minister thumping a voter.’

“And other people said … ‘he had this egg slammed in his head, and he turned around and and whacked the guy, and a lot of people think, Well, fair enough.’

“And so there was nothing you could do. So we had a long debate about it and finally, at the press conference, when I was asked about it, I just said, ‘Well, John is John.’

“And so was that supposed to be an answer? I said, ‘Yes, that’s an answer.’ That’s as much as you can say, and that’s what he was like, there were no rules that he really abided by.

“I feel a huge sense of loss, because it wasn’t just a political relationship. I had a profound affection for him.”

Rally

The punch happened when Lord Prescott had just got off his campaign bus, the Prescott Express, to speak at a Labour rally.

As he walked past a line of protesters, he was struck by an egg which covered his suit.

Lord Prescott turned and punched the protester and a brawl occurred – all captured by TV cameras.

Police officers managed to intervene and 29-year-old Craig Evans, a farm worker from Denbigh, was taken away in handcuffs.

Lord Prescott said at the time: “I was attacked by an individual. In the melee that followed I clearly defended myself.”

A number of newspaper surveys carried out after the punch suggested the public supported his actions.

Lord Prescott was interviewed by police but he was not prosecuted.

The Crown Prosecution Service concluded there was no realistic chance of convicting him because he had acted in self-defence.

Mr Evans spent several hours in police custody but no action was taken against him either.

In June that year, Labour won a second term in government.


Support our Nation today

For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

2 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Margaret Helen Parish
Margaret Helen Parish
16 days ago

My husband was with Paul Murphy when he received the call on the campaign trail!

Brychan
Brychan
16 days ago

Typical of Blair. Still telling lies. Prescott had not ‘laid him out’. He barely made contact with Craig, who was actually pulled away, intact, by fellow protesters.

Our Supporters

All information provided to Nation.Cymru will be handled sensitively and within the boundaries of the Data Protection Act 2018.