John Prescott spent £23k on failed police commissioner bid
LORD Prescott spent more than £20,000 on his failed bid to become the police and crime commissioner, it has been revealed.
Almost half came from his own pocket, while the remainder was donations to his election campaign.
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Lord Prescott with Tony Blair at Mr Chu's restaurant in Hull
However, more than half of his donations were notional sums where he was given the use of Labour Party offices or trade union offices instead of cash.
One of these was from Jack Chu, owner of Prescott's favourite Chinese restaurant Mr Chu's.
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Mr Prescott was given the use of the restaurant to host a public meeting, which was attended by Tony Blair.
The pair used the basement of the restaurant to do some canvassing.
The notional amount to the campaign for the use of the restaurant was estimated at £300.
Prescott's total election campaign came to £23,485.
He received £12,615 in donations to the campaign, of which half were notional donations.
He spent £10,870 of his own money.
But the £23,485 was just a fraction of what he could have spent, with the limit for the Humberside area set at £126,520.
He travelled the region on his battle bus handing out 2,100 sheriffs badges and crossed the Humber Bridge 23 times.
He was the bookmakers' favourite when betting closed with William Hill giving him odds of 1/3 of landing the job. But he fell short when the public went to the polls.
He polled the most votes in the first round of the election on November 15 at Bridlington Spa.
But he eventually lost out to Tory Candidate Matthew Grove, who beat him by just over 2,000 votes.
Speaking after his defeat, he said: "Of course I'm disappointed to lose. I always wanted to win.
"It isn't my first time in defeat, I was beaten for the leadership twice, and that is what a democracy is about – you give people the chance to vote.
"In a normal election, we would have won but, because there were second votes, we didn't.
The veteran Labour politician said it would be his last election, but he said there was more to come from him.
He said: "I don't think I'll stand for election again but I will forever be a politician and campaigner.
"It is who I am and the party I am in.
"I'm not going to be sitting around in my slippers. I will be campaigning in my coffin.
"This is the beauty of being in the Lords, I'm still involved in politics."
Mr Prescott was unavailable for comment this weekend.
42 Comments
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by buornfree
Tuesday, February 19 2013, 8:31AM
“I Bet he will get it back on his expense sheet”
by FIGHTDAPOWER
Monday, February 18 2013, 11:10PM
“I think they're about to start lobbing egg's at us Tony!”
by Col18
Monday, February 18 2013, 10:28PM
“Thats a pic begging for a caption.
' E're, Tone, you gonna cough us up a Lordship or shall I tell 'em what ya did with the billions?'”
by SPBlakeney
Monday, February 18 2013, 10:26PM
“The two cheesy villains from the noughties themselves. Im sure many, after Labours amazing track record, would pitch together and raise the £20,000 to send both on a one way flight to some embassy. Somewhere. Anywhere but here.”
by Worker111
Monday, February 18 2013, 10:11PM
“ferretmonger,
Labour bankrupt the country, and numerous NHS trusts.
So people could be in a nice shiny new building whilst they where dying by the thousands in their own filth.
And Prescott was second in command at the time.
"Power to the people" eh comrade.”
by india7
Monday, February 18 2013, 9:53PM
“I just love our beloved Hull Daily Mail's headline reminding us all that Prescott FAILED!
Poetic justice Prezza - you failed the people and we do not want you to ever have that opportunity again.
A man wthout principles is nothing - you will not be missed.”
by PurpleParrot
Monday, February 18 2013, 8:28PM
“Oh dear, all that money ................. no wonder he had a face like a bulldog licking a thistle after the count.
What's that?
He always looks like that?
Oh sorry!!”
by ferretmonger
Monday, February 18 2013, 8:14PM
“Worker111, Aw bless you've got yourself all hot and bothered, you sound like a fanatic! Dont give a monkeys eh? And i'm no labour voter you imbecile. I just know what a mess the NHS was in under the tories. Dont take my word for it, ask the doctors the nurses and anyone else who worked for them during the tory administration, for you to make out that it was only under labour that the NHS was in a mess is just utter tripe, and you know it. Are you eight years old by the way?”
by bazza_12
Monday, February 18 2013, 7:00PM
“not sure what the story is here.. prezzer spends his own money and donations which where clearly indicated to run for position he didn't get.. AND???”
by corrig
Monday, February 18 2013, 6:32PM
“yes prescott and his cronies were awful. the big problem is the current shower are no better. they will finish off ruining the country .cameron/osborne have got to be the worst partnership since burke and hare.”