Ex-deputy PM John Prescott, 81, in hospital after suffering from a stroke
FORMER deputy prime minister Lord Prescott was rushed to hospital after suffering a stroke.
The 81-year-old Labour bruiser – dubbed Two Jags – was admitted to A&E on Friday.
His family confirmed in a statement released today that he remains in hospital.
They said: “John was taken to hospital last Friday after suffering a stroke.
“We would like to praise the swift actions of the ambulance staff and the doctors and nurses at Hull Royal Infirmary’s A&E and stroke unit.
“They have been remarkable and we cannot thank them enough.
“He is receiving excellent care from the NHS but we would respectfully request at this time that John and our family are given the privacy we need so that he can have the time and space to make a full recovery.
“Thank you.”
POLITICAL CAREER
Prescott was Deputy PM to Tony Blair for more than a decade after he took the reigns of the party in 1997.
He became known as Two Jags for his love of the luxury motors.
Prescott announced he would be stepping down from the post within half-an-hour of Blair revealing the date of his own resignation in 2007.
He is currently a Labour Peer in the House of Lords.
The Labour stalwart was followed by controversy in his political career.
In 2001, Prescott punched protester Craig Evans in Rhyl, North Wales after he flung an egg at him.
No action was taken against either of the men although both were questioned by police.
What is a stroke?
A stroke is a life-threatening brain attack, which occurs when the blood supply to part of your brain is cut off – without blood, the cells in your brain can be killed or suffer damage.
There are two main types of stroke.
An ischaemic stroke is the most common, accounting for 85% of all cases, and is caused by a blockage cutting off the blood supply to the brain.
A haemorrhagic stroke is caused by bleeding in or around the brain, when a weakened blood vessel supplying the brain bursts.
What are the symptoms?
- The FAST method – which stands for Face, Arms, Speech, Time – is the easiest way to remember the most common symptoms of stroke:
- Face – can they smile? Does one side droop?
- Arm – can they lift both arms? Is one weak?
- Speech – is their speech slurred or muddled?
- Time – to call 999
- If you recognise any of these signs, and believe somebody is having a stroke, dial 999 and ask for an ambulance immediately.
Other symptoms include:
- sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body
difficulty finding words - sudden blurred vision or loss of sight
- sudden confusion, dizziness or unsteadiness
- a sudden and severe headache
- difficulty understanding what others are saying
- difficulty swallowing
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The politician later joked about the incident quipping: “There was only one punch.
“Tony Blair rang me and he said ‘Are you OK?’ and I said ‘Yes’, and he said ‘Well, what happened?’ and I said ‘I was just carrying out your orders. You told us to connect with the electorate, so I did’.”
In 2015, he was banned from speeding after being caught doing 60mph in a 50mph zone in one of his beloved jags.