British politician John Prescott, a pugnacious and personable former merchant seaman who rose to the post of deputy prime minister in Tony Blair's Labour government, has died at age 86.Prescott’s family announced his death on Thursday.

Lord Prescott, a former trade union activist and ex-merchant seaman who went on to be a key figure within Sir Tony Blair’s New Labour project, died “peacefully” surrounded by relatives at his care home after a battle with Alzheimer’s, his family said in a statement.

Here are key facts about John Prescott, Britain's combative former deputy prime minister, who has died after a battle with Alzheimer's disease, his family said on Thursday:

He was a cruise ship waiter before rising in the trade union movement and becoming one of the country’s best-known Labour politicians under Tony Blair.

John Prescott, a former British deputy prime minister in Tony Blair’s Labour government, has died, his family said on Thursday.

That's just one of the reasons Prescott is often compared to the current deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner, noted The Guardian. They were both brought up working class, became Labour MPs after working in the trade union movement, and were "frequently patronised or demonised by Tories and the media, partly on the grounds of class snobbery".

Britain's former deputy prime minister John Prescott, who served under Tony Blair and with him helped transform the country's Labour party, has died aged 86, his family said on Thursday.

The BBC's political editor for Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, Tim Iredale, described Prescott as a "man of the people". Karl Turner, the Labour MP for East Hull, said his contribution to public life will never be forgotten.

People in Southampton have paid tribute as John Prescott, who served as deputy prime minister to Tony Blair from 1997 to 2007, has died at the age of 86. It was announced on Thursday morning that the former MP had passed away following a battle with Alzheimer’s.