With some Labour backbenchers in open revolt, ministerial support melting away and rivals jockeying to take over, there were repeated demands for Mr Prescott to give up his ministerial salary and grace-and-favour mansion, Dorneywood.

The photographs were the third embarrassment for Mr Prescott in recent weeks after the revelation of his affair with his 43-year-old diary secretary and the row over keeping his ministerial perks while being stripped of his department.

Reports in one Sunday newspaper of a letter calling on him to stand down were heavily denied, however, amid signs that Labour MPs fear that an immediate election for the deputy leadership of the party would result in an internal war.

Mr Prescott was photographed at the 200-acre mansion last Thursday less than two hours after Tony Blair took off for Washington. He was seen giving a guided tour of the 21-room estate for guests before going alone to inspect the cattle on the estate. He spent the afternoon playing croquet with five colleagues, including Philip Cox, his private secretary, and Joan Hammell, his special adviser, and her assistant, Jackie Geeves.

Ms Hammell said later: “Work continued all the way through, even the croquet game. I had three faxes brought out. I then went back inside to make phone calls. We are working seven days a week, we can promise you.” She added that Conservative ministers spent more time there than Labour ones and the croquet set was donated by Kenneth Clarke, a former resident.

This excuse did not impress normally loyal backbenchers such as Denis MacShane, the former Europe Minister. Asked directly whether Mr Prescott should step down, he said: “I think we have to get complete renewal top to bottom. Make of that what you will.”

Ministerial colleagues also gave Mr Prescott an icy response. Harriet Harman, the Solicitor-General, who is tipped to try to succeed Mr Prescott, pointedly failed to give her support. Asked if he should step down, she replied: “We should disentangle the speculation about the Deputy Prime Minister at the moment from the question of how we actually reach out in the future.”

She gave a coded warning that women were deserting Labour over the affair. “Women are more open-minded about politics, they are less entrenched politically than men. They were the last to come over to Labour and they have always been the more likely to take their support away. They have given us the benefit of the doubt, but not a blank cheque.”

Women MPs are furious with Mr Prescott for his affair with Tracey Temple, who later revealed lurid details of their affair to a Sunday newspaper.

The Labour peer Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws said that Mr Prescott’s affair had undermined his position within the party and made it “timely” for him to leave his post.

Geoff Mulgan, the Prime Minister’s former policy chief, suggested that Mr Prescott’s career may have come to an end. “The real problem for him with these photos is that no one knows quite what his job is any more, and this suggests he hasn’t got enough to do,” he said. “He may be running out of his nine lives.”

Andrew Lansley, the Shadow Health Secretary, said that Mr Prescott had no reson to remain in the Government.

Mr Prescott is likely to remain in the limelight for the rest of the week while Mr Blair is on holiday in Italy, but will be spared the ordeal of Prime Minister’s Questions because Parliament is in recess.

Andy Burnham, the Health Minister, was one of the few to stand by Mr Prescott. “The rank-and-file members love John very much, they know what he’s done for our party and his role in securing three election victories,” he said.

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