John Prescott – A Man with Time on His Hands

According to the Observer this morning John Prescott is Labour's new web weapon. He's "been chosen as the unlikely leader of Labour's general election campaign on the internet, as the party prepares to launch a low-budget battle for a fourth term in government."

"Prescott, a veteran of traditional, on-the-road campaigning who famously thumped an egg-throwing heckler during the 2001 campaign, has told friends that he sees his new role as driving Labour's "virtual battle bus". The former cabinet minister has surprised the party's high command by helping to raise Labour's profile on the web with his own blog and by establishing a formidable presence on the networking sites Facebook and Twitter."

All well and good, and probably all true, but in the meantime what about the day job? In the last year Prescott has failed speak in any parliamentary debate, is a member of no parliamentary committees and has only voted on 47% of occasions – well below the average. Added to which during 2008 this man of the people has received remuneration of between £112,000 and £165,000 for speeches, TV and books.

What about the day job Mr Prescott? What about doing what your constituents and the country expects you to be doing? How about turning up for what we the tax payers pay you for? Easy to do the twittering, facebook and blogging stuff if you're doing bugger all else! Of course he is to stand down at the next election so why does he care? No doubt he's expecting a peerage when he does and the gravy train will roll on once he's in the Lords.