The prime minister is to be told by senior Labour figures that the deputy prime minister has lost the support of many MPs and should consider stepping down.

Prescott has been criticised for clinging to his £133,000 salary and his grace and favour homes after he was stripped of his departmental responsibilities in this month’s reshuffle.

His credibility is further undermined by pictures showing him playing croquet with officials at Dorneywood, his 200-acre country residence, on Thursday afternoon shortly after Blair took off for America, leaving him in charge.

Complaints about his position will be raised at the next meeting of the parliamentary committee, the group of half a dozen senior backbenchers who meet the prime minister weekly. The group is Labour’s equivalent of the Tories’ influential 1922 committee.

According to the documents, one of the committee’s members, Angela Eagle, a former minister, “wouldn’t rule out a signature collection” to force Prescott out.

Women MPs are cited in the documents as being “furious” about his extramarital affair with Tracey Temple, his diary secretary.

Martin Salter, another member of the committee, said yesterday: “There is absolutely no doubt that John Prescott’s situation has become a significant political issue for us.”

A colleague said: “At the very least what John Prescott has to do is give up his perks and his grace and favour residences as this is reflecting very badly on the party.

“My views have been canvassed regarding who I might support in a future election.”

One minister said he had been “surprised” at the level of hostility towards Prescott, who will be in charge of the government this week while Blair is on holiday.

“He used to have this enormous respect. Now it’s the absolute reverse — he’s a source of contempt,” the minister said.

“It’s not just that the respect of the party has evaporated, it’s far more serious than that. There’s a real feeling of betrayal.”

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