Tony Benn (1925-2014)

[doversoul1]

Days when politics could still be linked with idealism… (or I may have been just young and silly)

R.I.P.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-26573929

[cloughie]

Days when politics could still be linked with idealism… (or I may have been just young and silly)

R.I.P.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-26573929

...and then spin took over!

R.I.P

[Beef Oven!]

RIP. They really don't make them like him any more. I agreed with his ideas more than I cared to admit.

Civilised, charming, a class act. Searing intellect, disarmingly accurate political analysis. A huge loss.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

[Honoured Guest]

Tea sales to plummet.

[Pikaia]

He was like Michael Foot - a leg end in his own time!

[Pabmusic]

Sad.

I presume he was a relative of Vaughan Williams (through the Wedgewoods) and of Charles Darwin, but I have never looked it up.

[MrGongGong]

Very sad indeed
SO that's the end of ethical and honest politicians then

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

for the first 58 minutes of any hour the sanest man on the planet ...

[Tevot]

Sad.

I presume he was a relative of Vaughan Williams (through the Wedgewoods) and of Charles Darwin, but I have never looked it up.

It would be nice to think so. Both were visionaries weren't they? Perhaps even otherworldly? Too much so maybe for the likes of some.

It is indeed sad news today. The end of an era I think

[jean]

But is it not ironic that while everyone (rightly) praises Tony Benn's idealism and integrity now, they abandoned the Labour Party in droves when he was influential in formulating its policies?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

But is it not ironic that while everyone (rightly) praises Tony Benn's idealism and integrity now, they abandoned the Labour Party in droves when he was influential in formulating its policies?

Depends what you mean by "everyone", jean. I waited for another Tony B before hiring my droves.

[Beef Oven!]

We can open a new thread to discuss what we think about AWB etc in more detail, but it would good to leave this thread to the paying of respects and saying of nice things.

[Bryn]

Tony Benn was one of the very few Labour Party activists who might almost have enticed me into that organisation. It's all the others that made me keep it at rather more than arms length. A major loss to principled politics.

[MrGongGong]

A major loss to principled politics.

R.I.P principled politics