May 31, 1938: John Leslie Prescott born at Prestatyn, son of white collar rail worker

Educated: secondary modern school in Elsmere Port, Ruskin College

1953: starts work as trainee chef, 1953-55; Steward, Passenger Lines, Merchant Navy

1961: among Harold Wilson's "tightly knit group of politically motivated men" involved in national seaman's strike. Sat in Commons public gallery to hear Wilson vent his rage

1970: enters Commons as MP for Hull East

1979: joins Labour's front bench as opposition spokesman on transport

1983: Neil Kinnock becomes Labour leader, taking over from Michael Foot

1988: had three points placed on his driving licence for speeding

1989: a further three points for speeding

1991: banned from driving for 21 days after he admitting driving at 105 miles an hour on the M1

July 1992: John Smith is made Labour leader

1992: helped Smith push one-member-one-vote reforms through Labour conference, confirming his move from firebrand to pragmatist

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