John Prescott sees old foe Peter Mandelson named as High Steward of Hull

 
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The rivalry between Lord Prescott and Lord Mandelson was reignited today in a controversy over a civic title in Hull.

Lord Prescott, who was a Hull MP for 40 years, has asked why he was not consulted by town hall chiefs over the decision to make Lord Mandelson a High Steward of Hull.

Former European Commissioner and ex-Business Secretary Lord Mandelson is expected to take up the title later this year. But the two peers have clashed in the past, with the former Deputy Prime Minister famously once comparing Lord Mandelson to a crab. Lord

Prescott said: “I was notified about the decision late on Monday afternoon and have contacted the council for further information.

“I am surprised it wasn’t discussed with me earlier but I will continue to do what I have done for the last 43 years — to promote Hull and fight to bring jobs and investment to the city.

“I also have no interest in being a steward again — I did that job on the liners for 10 years.”

He declined to comment further.

Lord Mandelson, who was nicknamed the Prince of Darkness, was suggested because his grandfather Herbert Morrison, a former Labour cabinet minister, was also a High Steward of Hull.

The roles date back to 1583 but lapsed in the Seventies. The city recently restored them after petitioning the Queen in a “loyal address”.

Lord Prescott recently failed in his bid to be appointed a police and crime commissioner. Some councillors were allegedly said to have been “rolling about on the floor laughing” at the tone of Lord Prescott’s letter. “It was not the sort of letter you should send to the leader of a council,” said one source.

Tony Blair’s deputy played a key role during the New Labour years, often negotiating peace deals between the warring Blairite and Brownite camps.

But his rivalry with Lord Mandelson, who was twice forced to resign from the Cabinet, is said to date back to the early years of New Labour. Lord Prescott complained bitterly at being left out of key decisions in Mr Blair’s early days. Some allies blamed the inner circle headed by Lord Mandelson, who was communications supremo, for excluding the Labour party stalwart.

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