[Closed] RIP Tony Benn

Bummer 🙁

Yep , sad.
Good on him.

We won't see a politician of his principles again. 🙁

There are few politicians that I'd mourn, He was one of them.

Very much in the "worthy of respect even if you didn't agree with him on much" camp.

A man who actually turned down wealth and privilege to go into politics rather than going into politics for personal gain is a very rare thing these days.

RIP, good innings.

made good rice tbf

He said his mother had told him that every decision is basically moral and he had tried to live by that advice. Think he did a pretty good job of living up to it. A lovely man.

Have to take my cap off to him for his life long struggle against nepotism (a torch which be carried forward by his son and grandaughter)

True gent

😥 awful but not enexpected news, a man of principle and someone I admired greatly RIP Tony Benn

was always good to listen to

Tories on a hat-trick.

Sad loss, admired his principles and his integrity if not his political stance on any things. Sad to lose another man of conviction in such quick succession.

We need more people in politics like him. A lot more.

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I'm genuinely sad at this news. A great loss.

I had the privilege to shake his hand a few months ago, I found it quite overwhelming, a true gent.

Like many others I cannot say I agreed with many thinks he said but he was a man of principals and a wonderful public speaker, I remember very clearly attending a speech he gave in 1981. RIP Tony.

I heard him speak once and he was very good.

"Have to take my cap off to him for his life long struggle against nepotism (a torch which be carried forward by his son and grandaughter)"

Hah - I see what you're saying but tbf he bailed on his peerage (the epitome of nepotism!) to compete for his position in public life. If he (and his offspring) had been useless and had nothing more to offer than his lineage, he wouldn't have lasted long in politics.

Guilty lol at the rice joke...

Any guy who hated Tony Blair as much as he did is alright with me.

He stated he left Parliament to concentrate on politics!

As said before, a man of principles, if only all politicians were of the same mold.

RIP

I went to a Q&A session with him about five years ago. He was incredibly interesting and articulate and, as others have said, even if I didn't agree with some of what he said I certainly respected that he was saying it from a principled standpoint.

Interestingly, he was asked which modern politician he most admired; would anyone like to guess his answer?

Interestingly, he was asked which modern politician he most admired; would anyone like to guess his answer?

Nick Clegg ?

Not quite

Hah - I see what you're saying but tbf he bailed on his peerage (the epitome of nepotism!) to compete for his position in public life. If he (and his offspring) had been useless and had nothing more to offer than his lineage, he wouldn't have lasted long in politics.

He was clever enough to ensure that when he died, his eldest son would still inherit the peerage he disclaimed...

it's easy being a socialist when money worries aren't a problem and the family name and estate are secure for future generations, eh!

I echo everyones sentiment here, the most principled politician of modern times, although he used to annoy me quite often, I have nothing but respect for the way he conducted his life, a shining example in an increasingly shallow and grubby world of made for TV metropolitan charlatans. A man of principle, very few of them left.

I'll be raising a cuppa this morning. I saw him speak many times in the 80s as a kid on various rallies and met him once at the House of Commons, warm, engaging and the sort of character you want around in politics.

A fascinating person who framed a lot of the political debate in my youth. It was a shame that we heard less and less of him as he grew older. Watching current editions of QT makes you realise how poor the current crop are in terms of their thought processes and rhetorical skills. Sad to see him pass. RIP.

ninfan - Member
it's easy being a socialist when money worries aren't a problem and the family name and estate are secure for future generations, eh!

yawn

yawn

+ yawn 🙂

Radio 4 just played a bit one speeches about how "skills built the country not the city". Good stuff.
In at the start of many changes, I thought he was wrong on loads of stuff in the 70's & 80's, once he became free of the mess he helped make of the Labour party he became very interesting and free to say what he liked.

Got to respect him though, he believed in something.

Good words up there from derekfish.

Principled. Incompetent. A "useful idiot".

he believed in something.

As he once said himself, it's an old fashioned idea.

yawn

I'd wake you up with the sound of a TSR2 flying low overhead... but

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thanks Tony!

[i]As he once said himself, it's an old fashioned idea. [/i]

Which links nicely back to the question asked to him about which modern politician he most admired. His answer; none of them, because none of them believe in anythng other than gaining or remaining in power.

For that very reason, the most recent politician he most admired was one Mrs M.Thatcher.

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Thanks Tony!

IHN, IIRC, that quote was about Mrs T. One of the things I liked about him was that he could despise the principle while respecting the person. It's a degree of separation of thought that us mere mortals can only dream about.

Edit: take for example zulu/labrat/multiple other banned usernames. Benn had the kind of classiness he can only masturbate about.

Mr Woppit - Member
Principled. Incompetent. A "useful idiot".

A marked improvement on just being a useless idiot then...

I'd wake you up with the sound of a TSR2 flying low overhead... but

thanks Tony!

And.... Has the world ended because it was canned? Was the war it was designed to fight lost because of its demise?

Nope on both counts. Sounds like he saved quite a packet then...

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You mean 'Thanks to Conservative minster Julian Amory for the 'no get-out' clause he negotiated with the French'?

Tony tried to cancel it:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/tony-benn-tried-to-kill-concorde-1044692.html

Who really GAF about Concorde? What a bizarre thing to be wittering on about.

And yes, Tony Benn really admired Thatcher:

"I think Mrs Thatcher did more damage to democracy, equality, internationalism, civil liberties, freedom in this country than any other Prime Minister this century. When the euphoria surrounding her departure subsides you will find that in a year or two's time there will not be a Tory who admits ever supporting her. People in the street will say, thank God she's gone" - The Thatcher Factor, Channel Four, December, 1990.

ninfan - Member

You mean 'Thanks to Conservative minster Julian Amory for the 'no get-out' clause he negotiated with the French'?

Tony tried to cancel it

a tacit agreement that if a ceiling of pounds 600m in development costs was exceeded Concorde could be terminated.

anyway RIP, if I smoked a pipe id be packing one for Tony!

For those who subscribe, there is a touching if rather sad piece reviewing his diaries back in October last year in the FT

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/497d5f26-3a62-11e3-b234-00144feab7de.html#axzz2vVPnnuaL

Quite thought provoking like the man himself.

On Mrs T, the article notes his "reluctant" admiration in the words, she was a "political signpost, not a weather vane." Too many weather vanes these days.

And yes, Tony Benn really admired Thatcher

That's exactly the point - he admired her because she had principles and stuck by them, unlike the spineless bunch of wimps we've got now - but he despised her principles.

I had a lot of respect for him

He stuck to his principles

It's a pity there are not more politicians like him

RIP

And yes, Tony Benn really admired Thatcher

I was there, in the room, when he said it, so either I'm lying, he was lying, or you're refusing to believe it's what he said.

I woke to hear the news this morning but mis-heard it as Tony Blair.

I think I would prefer it that way.

Sad day, probably the only politician that i've ever made a point of listening to, even if i didn't always agree with everything he said.

I was there, in the room, when he said it, so either I'm lying, he was lying, or you're refusing to believe it's what he said.

I"m not saying he didn't say it - I just think it's a bit strange/disingenuous to mention it without any kind of context.

I just think it's a bit strange/disingenuous to mention it without any kind of context.

Fair enough, I thought I had; it was within the context of modern politicians not really believing in anything whereas Mrs T at least did. I took it as read that folks would know that he didn't agree with her beliefs...

Total, principled legend.
RIP, comrade. 🙁

Sky News showing some respect;

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I never agreed with his politics, but respected the way he stuck to his principles. A very clever and classy guy, from an age when politics was about beliefs and not personalities.

If only the current generation of halfwits were half the man (or woman) that he wad.

"Lord" Kinnock, eh?

See what you did there...

A man with a great deal of integrity no matter what you thought of his political stance. It's a shame that so few modern political figures share that trait. He was a decent human being.

‘Well, I don’t believe you should attack people personally,’ he says. ‘My father taught me that. Democracy is about competing opinion, but you don’t have to be nasty about it. The personality side of things switches me off completely. I stopped reading the papers when they were full of all these personal attacks on Gordon Brown. What matters is what is done, not who does it.’

Thus he could respect Thatcher. I doubt he admired her tbh, but we'd just be guessing. He's said plenty about her over the years, but he's never been anything but impeccably polite.

Tony Benn: the only thing political that me (a lefty) and my dad (a raging tory) can agree on, in him being a man to admire and respect. My dad's read all his diaries!

Genuine sense of sadness today, RIP.

The only politician to keep his integrity with Ali G.

Oh god, not Toby Benn as well!

it's easy being a socialist when money worries aren't a problem and the family name and estate are secure for future generations, eh!

Not as easy as being an internet troll when you have nothing more worthwhile to occupy your life though.

Toby gone, gone Toby, dear Toby, dear dear Toby

The only politician to keep his integrity with Ali G.

Whilst I always found Sir Anthony Neil Wedgwood Benn entertaining to listen to and felt his heart was in the right place, I couldn't help feeling the his presence did nothing for whatever cause he was fighting. A peer giving up his peerage to become a left-wing politician was never going to gain popular acceptance in the class-led political battles of the sixties and seventies. Even when he laudably lent his pacifist voice to the anti-gulf war movement I couldn't help thinking that war was then inevitable.

As for RIP. He was always in favour of peace but I hope there are some good intellectual sparring partners in heaven to get him fired up, I suspect many of his opponents ended up in the other place.

Not as easy as being an internet troll when you have nothing more worthwhile to occupy your life though.

Pwned.

My two pen'orth:

Heard him speak in Manchester in 2006. Even late in life, his power of logic and oratory was superb.

My English teacher was called Anthony Benn. Known universally by staff and pupils alike as "Wedgie".

Pwned.

And the best bit is, your taxes pay for it

rock on socialism 8)

Indeed RIP, sad but hey, bloody good bloke 😀

.

🙂

The only politician I've ever liked. Farewell Mr Benn.

[i]"If we can find the money to kill people, we can find the money to help people."[/i]

Indeed. Rest easy, Mr Benn.

Nice clip kimbers. His story about the Thatcherite train ending up a socialist train reminded me of this :

The Myth of Human Nature

Proper politician, genuine man of and for the people, spoke his mind, didn't change his beliefs for popularity, oratory genius, easy to listen to and understand, never ducked a question or issue, TOP MAN!

One of the saddest days for this country.

I wonder he made of this posh 6th form Etonian social club that we are currently saddled with? Not much I expect!

RIP fella.

You know your kids are always within earshot: This morning I turned up the radio when it reported Benn had died and I must have made a sad face my daughter (11yo) said "is that Tony Blair?" I made another face and said "no" and she asked "do you wish Tony Blair was dead then?"

"Well...." I replied.

Who is Benn's spiritual successor then? George Galloway?!

Great, great man and gentleman.

A very good spreaker, a long winded diarist and an ineffectual politician.

He was possibly the original champagne socialist, but I couldn't fault his complete commitment to his cause and his personal integrity would put every modern politician to shame. RIP.

an ineffectual politician

Really ? Why ?......because he didn't become prime minister ?

Few politicians reach the position of cabinet minister, he did. He had significant influence both in government and within the Labour Party.

desperately sad news we have lost a decent honest human being who lived what he believed. some of the stuff may have been bonkers but he believed in it didnt change his views because the wind changed direction or to suit personal ambition. i m tony benn i m a socialist every one knew that his opinion was considered and carried conviction.

a true giant of british politics cannot imagine saying that about anyone else alive today.. RIP

Unexpected musical collaborations, Mull Historical Society and Tony Benn...

"We the people" they all say
But do they treat us thus?
Or are we units in a game they play
Men, Women, Black and White
Rich, Poor, Young, Old, Straight or Gay
Defined and safely filed away
For Pollsters, Salesmen and MPs
To be bought or bribed to make them rich
Or Enemies who must be killed
People are made of flesh and blood
with hearts and minds and hopes
and fears, and all just want a Life
Which we must nurture to survive.
We have the power to end the world
We have the power to save the world
The Choice is ours: It is a Moral Choice
To work together in both Peace and Love
We must break Free and be ourselves
There lies the hope for all the human race.