John Prescott is sitting up in bed “laughing and joking” with nursing staff despite suffering from pneumonia, his son said today.

David Prescott spoke after visiting his father, who is being treated at University College Hospital in central London.

He said: “I have just seen my father this morning. He has pneumonia and is in a high dependency unit. He has been sitting up in bed this morning laughing and joking with hospital staff.”

Mr Prescott, who celebrated his 69th birthday last Thursday, fell ill with a suspected chest infection on Saturday, during a train journey from his Hull constituency to London King’s Cross.

The Deputy Prime Minister’s son continued: “He would like to say a big thank you to all the doctors, staff and nurses who have provided fantastic and wonderful treatment in the NHS hospital since he came in on Saturday.

“He would also like to thank everyone for the messages of support he has received from around the world.”

A spokeswoman for the Deputy Prime Minister said he had been on the phone to his wife Pauline this morning, but that she was not expected to visit him at hospital today.

She added: “The Deputy Prime Minister’s Office has confirmed that the Deputy Prime Minister is suffering from pneumonia. He has been moved to a high-dependency unit, not because of a deterioration in his condition but so that his condition can be monitored more closely.”

Mr Prescott was due to chair the weekly meeting of the Cabinet tomorrow, as Tony Blair will be away in Germany at the G8 summit. In his absence Jack Straw, the Leader of the Commons, will take his place.

Mr Blair’s official spokesman said that it was necessary to go ahead with Cabinet tomorrow even without its two most senior members because it was due to discuss counter-terrorism measures to be unveiled by Home Secretary John Reid later in the day.

There had been some speculation that Gordon Brown, who is due to take over as Prime Minister in three weeks’ time, might get an early opportunity to take the central seat at the Cabinet table.

But Mr Blair’s official spokesman said this morning that Mr Straw would stand in for the PM and DPM, in line with protocol which states that the Leader of the Commons fills in at Prime Minister’s Questions if both his senior colleagues are absent.

Although former Commons leaders Geoff Hoon and the late Robin Cook appeared at the despatch box for Prime Minister’s Questions - respectively in 2005 and 2002 - when both Mr Blair and Mr Prescott were unable to attend, it is thought this is the first time anyone other than Mr Blair or Mr Prescott has chaired Cabinet during Labour’s time in office.

Mr Blair appeared at Prime Minister’s Questions as usual today before departing for Germany.

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