John Prescott has resigned his membership of the RMT in protest at the union's opposition to the government's agenda.

The move came after the Rail Maritime and Transport Union decided to halt its funding of 13 Labour constituency parties - including that in the deputy prime minister's Hull East seat.

The union said its move was prompted by Labour's failure to renationalise the railways. Bob Crow, general secretary of the RMT, said Labour had betrayed working people.

But Prescott, a member of union since he was 17, said it was "unacceptable" for the union to tell MPs how to vote and said his resignation was a "personal and very sad day for me".