'I'm demob happy', Prescott tells Tory critics

13 April 2012

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott declared himself to be in a "happy demob stage" as he fended off taunts about his role in government from Tories in the Commons on Wednesday.

Andrew Mackay (Bracknell) asked for a capability review of his department.

"Are you concerned that the review would decide there's absolutely no need for your department, and do you believe that when the Chancellor of the Exchequer becomes Prime Minister you and the Department will be scrapped?"

Mr Prescott said the decision was a matter for the Prime Minister: "I leave whoever it is to be the next Prime Minister to make that judgment but I'm bound to say to you - I'm in a rather happy demob stage, so I can really say that."

He told Opposition MPs they could expect a "bloody nose" at the next election.

"I'm proud of what this Government has done in the last ten years - compare it to the last previous Tory administration we'll see what the people think when that election comes," he said.

"Stand by for getting another bloody nose in the election."

Sir Patrick Cormack (South Staffordshire) jibed Mr Prescott over his attack on a protester who threw an egg at him in 2001: "Could you tell us how many of the bloody noses you intend to inflict?"

He replied: "I do recall at that election we won it."

Earlier, he was quizzed by shadow foreign secretary William Hague about a sign outside his office.

"Will you confirm that despite the initiative on departmental efficiency savings you have managed to spend £645 changing the sign outside your office from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister's office?"

He said the change symbolised the "shocking waste of money" in the Government.

Mr Prescott said the sign was a matter for the civil service and teased Mr Hague over his rates for after-dinner speeches.

"I hear the argument of the £634 - it wouldn't have paid for one sentence of the speech you give at the rate you charge."

Stewart Jackson (C Peterborough) joined the barracking of Mr Prescott. He said Mr Prescott's office was the only one in Whitehall not included in an efficiency review.

"Is this official confirmation that you don't have a proper job or is it that you're incapable of performing the one that you are supposed to have?"

Mr Prescott said he was carrying out the job "exactly as (ex-deputy prime minister) Lord Heseltine defined it".

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