Prescott admits affair with secretary

John Prescott admits to two-year affair with secretary

Wednesday, 26, Apr 2006 12:00

John Prescott last night admitted to having a two-year affair with one of his secretaries.

The deputy prime minister, 67, said he "regretted" the affair with Tracey Temple, 43, which ended some time ago. But he said his wife Pauline was "devastated" by the revelation and appealed for privacy.

"I did have a relationship with her which I regret. It ended some time ago," he said in a statement.

"I have discussed this fully with my wife Pauline, who is devastated by the news. I would be grateful if Pauline and I can now get on with our lives together."

According to The Daily Mirror which broke the story, Mr Prescott and Ms Temple, his assistant private secretary and diary manager, began their relationship at an office Christmas party in 2002.

A spokesman for Downing Street said the affair, which took place at Mr Prescott's Whitehall flat, was a "private matter" and said Tony Blair had full confidence in his deputy.

Ms Temple was also personal diary secretary to the late Northern Ireland secretary, Mo Mowlam, and the pair were apparently close friends until she died of cancer last year.

The revelation comes at a difficult time for Labour – with the local elections just over a week away, they are fighting off claims that the NHS is in a financial crisis and dealing with their own problems in paying off a number of million pound loans.

A poll yesterday also gave the party it lowest level of public support for 19 years – Labour now stands at 32 per cent, compared to the Conservatives' 34 per cent and the Liberal Democrats' 24 per cent.