Alan Johnson Eyes Up Prescott's Job

What could be more old Labour? It used to be John Prescott's working class story that warmed the cockles of socialist hearts - he won a boxing contest when working as a steward on a cruise liner in the 50's. He was awarded his prize by patrician Tory PM Alec Douglas-Home, who was travelling first class. Who would have guessed that one day that steward who was handy with his fists would go on to be deputy PM.
Now it is Alan Johnson who has the real-working credentials. Dorneywood was on his old route as a postman, he revealed in job interview for GMTV.
How wonderfully symbolic it would be for Johnson to return to the country estate through the front door?
It seems Labour are in need of a new Prescott, and the education secretary thinks he fits the bill. He has declared his interest in the deputy role, while of course giving his full support to croquet-John.
As the first former trade union leader to enter the cabinet in over 40 years, he is well placed to win over the influential union vote in the event of a contest. He has been cheeky, though, to declare his interest so blatantly.
Perhaps he has calculated that Prescott will have to go, and that a popular candidate with wide support from the unions and grassroots will be a shoo-in for the job.
Johnson is a shrewd operator, and it cannot have escaped his mind that if Labour lose the 2009 election, the new deputy leader will be in a leading position to take the party into opposition.