Son of former deputy PM John Prescott bids to stand in Mansfield

David Prescott, the son of former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, has launched a bid to be Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Mansfield and take on current MP Ben Bradley for the Mansfield parliamentary seat.

Sir Alan Meale lost his seat to Conservative Mr Bradley after 30 years as MP in Mansfield in June.

Mr Prescott, 47, who worked as an adviser to Jeremy Corbyn and the shadow cabinet during the 2017 elections, said: “In spite of winning 30 seats and denying the Tories a majority, election night was bitter sweet because we lost Mansfield.

“So I’m putting myself forward as the best candidate to help party members win Mansfield back.”

He said he believes Mansfield has been ”forgotten” by the Conservatives and regional funding means the East Midlands is at the bottom of the list for investment in many areas.

Mr Prescott said: “Living in north Nottinghamshire, I know all too well how towns like Mansfield have been forgotten by the Tories and are amongst the worst areas for social mobility.

“Mansfield needs a champion to tackle the social injustice in regional funding that sees the East Midlands at the bottom of the list for investment in transport, economic development, health and education.”

A close aide to Jeremy Corbyn, Mr Prescott was briefly suspended as the Labour leader’s communications manger, after allegations of misconduct were made against him in November.

However, no action was taken against him and he returned to his job two weeks later .

He is a key member of Mr Corbyn’s inner circle and is credited with improving the Labour leader’s image.

In 2017, Mr Prescott launched an unsuccessful bid to become the party’s candidate for the safe seat of Hull West and Hessle, after the former home secretary Alan Johnson stood down.

Mr Prescott launched his bid as Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn revealed plans to rescue Nottinghamshire’s ‘forgotten towns’.

The Labour leader said his plans for 2018 include targeting communities that have been left behind by successive governments. Speaking to the Daily Mirror he said a new unit of the party will organise and campaign in former Labour strongholds.

He said: “In 2018, we will win by organising with communities that have been held back.

“Our party is not just MPs in Parliament but a social movement in communities and workplaces in every part of our country. We said our party will win again by being at the heart of every community.

“We will win across the country, but especially in places like the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire coal belts – failed by economic changes over the last 40 years – by campaigning and organising with communities.”

“We are creating a new unit of the party to do this. We’ll have organisers, working with over half a million members where they live, on issues that matter to them.

“We will make sure our party remains strong in traditional heartlands, in seats we need to win and for young people and everyone else who were inspired to vote Labour at the election.”

Mr Prescott said he wants Mansfield to have the “future it deserves”, and his bid appears to be in line with Mr Corbyn’s strategy.

Mr Prescott said Mansfield “needs an MP with the experience, influence and passion to bring the town the investment in the jobs, skills and services we are crying out for.

“That’s why working with local members and the public, I’ll develop a positive Mansfield Manifesto that like ‘For The Many, Not The Few’, captures the public’s imagination with radical, credible and deliverable policies to help this town.”