Prescott surrenders Dorneywood retreat

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has given up his grace-and-favour home, Dorneywood, it has been announced.

Mr Prescott has been heavily criticised for keeping Dorneywood, after he was stripped of his ministerial duties in last month's Cabinet reshuffle.

Although he no longer has any departmental duties, Mr Prescott was still allowed to retain the title of Deputy Prime Minister, keep his ministerial salary and perks, including Dorneywood and a flat in Admiralty House.

Mr Prescott was stripped of his duties, following the revelation that he had an affair with his diary secretary. However, he continued to face calls to resign from opposition parties.

The row continued over the weekend, when photographs were published showing the Deputy Prime Minister playing croquet at Dorneywood on the day that he took over running the country from Prime Minister Tony Blair, who is on holiday.

Some Labour MPs have welcomed Mr Prescott's decision to give up Dorneywood, including Stephen Pound, Ian Gibson and Environment Secretary David Miliband.

However, one Labour backbencher Austin Mitchell told the BBC that Mr Prescott was "daft" to give up Dorneywood, suggesting that the media would still continue to hound him.

The decision was also welcomed by Conservative party chairman Francis Maude, who said: "At last John Prescott has done the right thing. It is just a pity he has taken so long to do it." However, he added: "John Prescott is merely a symptom of a government that is falling apart at the seams."

Responding to the decision, Shadow Chancellor George Osborne, said: "I don't think anyone cares. This whole debate about whether he stays or goes is irrelevant. He is irrelevant. This is a government clinging on and running out of steam.

"His political career is finished. It's a sure sign when a government has been in office too long when ministers have to be dragged kicking and screaming from their country houses. I suspect, that as a result, John Prescott is now history."

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Vince Cable said that Mr Prescott could no longer be taken seriously. He said: "This is clearly an effort to deal with the criticism that he was enjoying a large salary and perks with no clearly defined departmental responsibilities.

"However, this doesn't solve the underlying problem that he has been half-sacked by Tony Blair and has lost his credibility. He had an important role standing in for the Prime Minister and unfortunately now he can no longer be taken seriously."

(KMcA)