Sir Tony Blair has recalled John Prescott throwing a punch at a protester, saying “there were no rules that he really abided by”.

Lord Prescott hit the headlines on the general election campaign trail in 2001 after throwing a left-handed punch at a man who threw an egg at him.

The ex-merchant seaman earned the nickname “two jabs” following the incident in Rhyl, North Wales – a variation on “two Jags”, which referred to his fondness for luxury cars.

Former prime minister Sir Tony told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Thursday he “had a lot of really funny times” with his deputy, adding “he could be a very amusing guy”.

I feel a huge sense of loss, because it wasn't just a political relationship. I had a profound affection for him.

Clearly emotional, he said: “I was just thinking this morning about the the time when in the 2001 election – remember when someone smashed an egg on his head and he turned around and he punched the guy and laid him out?

“This caused a huge sort of fracas, this was an immense media story, and we had to give a press conference in the election campaign the next day.

“And some people were saying, ‘Well, look, he’s deputy prime minister, you can’t have a deputy prime minister thumping a voter.’

“And other people said … ‘he had this egg slammed in his head, and he turned around and and whacked the guy, and a lot of people think, Well, fair enough.’

“And so there was nothing you could do. So we had a long debate about it and finally, at the press conference, when I was asked about it, I just said, ‘Well, John is John.’

“And so was that supposed to be an answer? I said, ‘Yes, that’s an answer.’ That’s as much as you can say, and that’s what he was like, there were no rules that he really abided by.

“I feel a huge sense of loss, because it wasn’t just a political relationship. I had a profound affection for him.”

The punch happened when Lord Prescott had just got off his campaign bus, the Prescott Express, to speak at a Labour rally.

As he walked past a line of protesters, he was struck by an egg which covered his suit.

Lord Prescott turned and punched the protester and a brawl occurred – all captured by TV cameras.

Police officers managed to intervene and 29-year-old Craig Evans, a farm worker from Denbigh, was taken away in handcuffs.

Lord Prescott said at the time: “I was attacked by an individual. In the melee that followed I clearly defended myself.”

A number of newspaper surveys carried out after the punch suggested the public supported his actions.

Lord Prescott was interviewed by police but he was not prosecuted.

The Crown Prosecution Service concluded there was no realistic chance of convicting him because he had acted in self-defence.

Mr Evans spent several hours in police custody but no action was taken against him either.

In June that year, Labour won a second term in government.