Prescott slams Meyer over memoirs
John Prescott has called for the resignation of Christopher Meyer as chairman of the Press Complaints Commission.
The deputy prime minister joins a growing band of dissenters – including foreign secretary Jack Straw – who have criticised the former ambassador to Washington for the publication of his memoirs, which detail the build-up to the war in Iraq.
In a letter leaked to the Sunday newspapers, Mr Prescott says Sir Christopher is known as a “red-socked fop” in Washington, because of his taste for bright coloured socks, and suggests he can longer act as an “honest broker”.
In his book, Sir Christopher described several senior cabinet ministers as “political pygmies”.
He described Mr Prescott as arriving “at the embassy like a mastiff with his hackles up” and claimed the deputy leader never appeared to be “sufficiently” up to speed on foreign policy issues.
In his letter to Sir Christopher, Mr Prescott writes: “How can I or others criticised in your book come to the PCC in future and expect impartiality when you have made it clear you are anything but?
“Furthermore, how can you carry out your obligations to prevent intrusion into people’s private lives when you are content to publish tittle-tattle on John Major’s underwear?”
Sir Christopher dismissed Mr Prescott’s remarks, saying: “I am confident I can continue to do this job independently and impartially and effectively.”
He has said a third of the £250,000 payment from the book’s serialisation in the Guardian and the Daily Mail will go to the children’s charity run by his wife, Catherine.
He has confirmed he will be keeping all the money made by book sales.
Sir Christopher is expected to face questions from MPs sitting on the Commons public administration select committee next month over his memoirs.
