The general reaction to Mr Prescott's action seems to have been a mixture of the previous answers. I think the correct response is Mr Prescott's - it was an instinctive response, and on reflection he regrets what he did. MP Joe Ashton was asked on Radio Five what he thought, and opined that Mr Prescott was approaching pensionable age, Mr Ashton is already of that age-group, and therefore he reacted as old gentlemen did - with his fists. Asked to respond to a teacher who had e-mailed the point that trying to educate children that violence is no solution was somewhat undermined by the behaviour of a senior policitian, Mr Ashton decided it was "the teachers' job to eductae children."
Children learn by example - to excuse violence on the grounds of age, or instinct is not acceptable, for policitians, or children. If that message can be directed to everyone, from everyone, perhaps the levels of violence in our society will decrease, instead of increase.
Excusing a violent act under the illusion that it is somehow the human face of politics positively defies logical explanation. Standards of behaviour, begin at the top, or in Mr Prescott's case, next to the top.