The deputy prime minister has moved to dismiss press reports that he was about to leave frontline Labour politics or quit Westminster at the next election.

John Prescott rubbished as "absolute trash" media speculation that he was unhappy with a reduced cabinet profile since June's general election.

"No truth in it whatsoever - I'm very happy in what I'm doing, I'm certainly happy working with Tony Blair and getting on with the job we have committed ourselves to do. So just a load of press prattle," he told the BBC on Sunday.

But the 63-year old Hull East MP and rank-and-file Labour favourite ruled out any future bids for the party leadership - he fought and lost a contest with Blair and Margaret Beckett in 1994 after the death of John Smith.

"I certainly wouldn't want to stand for the leadership of the party again," he said."I have a lot more to do I think but at my age anyway I would just want to get on with the job, I'm delighted doing what I'm doing, and I think I still have a lot of energy. I'm happy by the way to be the deputy leader of the party, that's something that is very important to me, and I enjoy doing as much as the deputy prime minister's job, which I'm very honoured to have."