Joining Lords unlikely - Prescott

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John Prescott has hinted it is unlikely that he will enter the House of Lords after he steps down as an MP.

The deputy prime minister, who has said he will leave frontline politics at the same time as Tony Blair, added that "sometimes you need a break".

But Mr Prescott refused to tell BBC One's Sunday AM show when he would retire from the Commons.

Michael Heseltine, his predecessor as deputy prime minister, entered the Lords after quitting as an MP in 2001.

'Party first'

Asked whether he wanted to do the same, Mr Prescott said: "I wouldn't have thought so at this stage.

"I've been 40 years in politics and an MP for 36 years and sometimes you need a break."

He added: "The first people to know will be my party and the constituency, not the press."

The Hull East MP also reiterated his support for Chancellor Gordon Brown to replace Mr Blair as prime minister, but said: "I think election contests are good for the Labour Party."

Any run-off had to be conducted in a "civilised way", he added, saying of Mr Brown: "He's a hell of a man to beat but let's wait to see if there are other candidates."

Mr Prescott said: "I don't think there are any candidates... who can match up to Gordon Brown."

At last month's Labour conference, he said he would stand down at the same time as Mr Blair.

He also apologised over recent controversy caused by an affair with his diary secretary and hospitality he received from a US tycoon.