There is something pitiful about being on the sofa yet having no influence.

Yet this is John Prescott’s own assessment of himself.  On Iraq, the big man had no influence.

The former Deputy Prime Minister was simply the loyal lieutenant doing his master’s bidding.

Despite telling the Chilcott Inquiry that he found much of the intelligence on Iraq “tittle tattle” Prescott rallied support for the war within a supine Cabinet.

Of course, there was never any danger that I would be in the same room as the sofa, never mind sitting on it.

But along with so many others in the PLP and outside, I realised we were being led up the garden path to war.

In August 2002, in my monthly report to the Pendle Labour Party, I explained that Blair was assuring people that no decisions were likely to be made in the short term.

This was all part of the strategy of stringing everyone along even as the drum beat was getting progressively louder.

Prescott was in a position to do something about it. But he chose not to.

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