Gordon Brown opens up on John Prescott’s final few months in his battle against Alzheimer’s

Gordon Brown reveals more about John Prescott's final few monthsSource: BBC Radio 4

Transcript

00:00And you know, I've talked to John over these last few months when he had declining health,

00:05and what was amazing about the way he dealt with his Alzheimer, he always knew who you were,

00:10but wasn't sure about what to say. But it was the warmth, he was praising everybody,

00:16you've done a great job. I look back on things and say what a wonderful team we've been and

00:21everything else. That was John. I think he even made up with Peter Mendelsohn in the last few

00:26months. So I think it just shows the reconciliations that were possible. But the warmth

00:31that flew from talking to John was quite amazing in these last few months. So obviously, Alzheimer

00:38is a terrible thing, but he never lost this warmth and friendliness, which he showed at all times in

00:45private conversation, he could be very blunt, he could tell you you were wrong, he could tell you

00:49that you disagreed entirely, he could tell you I'm going to go out and attack you. But in private

00:53conversations, there was a warmth that people never quite saw because they saw him as a trade

00:58unionist with uncompromising toughness, when in fact, he was gentle and generous in real life.