The Rt Hon Tony Benn
Secretary of State for Energy
In office 5 April 1976 – 4 May 1979
Prime Minister	James Callaghan
Preceded by	Eric Varley
Succeeded by	David Howell
Secretary of State for Industry
In office 10 May 1974 – 4 August 1975
Prime Minister	Harold Wilson
Preceded by	Peter Walker (Trade and Industry)
Succeeded by	Eric Varley
Minister of Technology
In office 4 July 1966 – 19 June 1970
Preceded by	Frank Cousins
Succeeded by	Geoffrey Rippon
Member of Parliament for Bristol South East
In office 30 November 1950 – 4 May 1961
Preceded by	Stafford Cripps
Succeeded by	Malcolm St. Clair
In office 20 August 1963 – 9 June 1983
Preceded by	Malcolm St. Clair
Succeeded by	Constituency Abolished
Member of Parliament for Chesterfield
In office 1 March 1984 – 7 June 2001
Preceded by	Eric Varley
Succeeded by	Paul Holmes
Majority	24,633 (46.5%)
Born	3 April 1925 (1925-04-03) (age 82) London, England
Political party	Labour

Anthony "Tony" Neil Wedgwood Benn (born 3 April 1925), formerly 2nd Viscount Stansgate, is a British socialist politician. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 453 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (957 × 1266 pixel, file size: 1,013 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Secretary of State for Energy was a UK cabinet position from 1974 to 1992. ... is the 95th day of the year (96th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1976 Pick up sticks(MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 124th day of the year (125th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... Leonard James Callaghan, Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, KG, PC (27 March 1912 – 26 March 2005), was Labour Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979. ... Eric Graham Varley, Baron Varley (b. ... David Arthur Russell Howell, Baron Howell of Guildford, PC, (born January 18, 1936) is a British Conservative politician, journalist, and economic consultant. ... The Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (formerly the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry before the June 28, 2007 reshuffle) is a cabinet position in the United Kingdom government. ... is the 130th day of the year (131st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ... is the 216th day of the year (217th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, PC (11 March 1916 – 24 May 1995) was one of the most prominent British politicians of the 20th century. ... Peter Edward Walker, Baron Walker of Worcester, MBE PC (born March 25, 1932) was Conservative MP for Worcester between March 1961 and April 1992, and the founder of the Tory Reform Group. ... The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry is a cabinet position in the United Kingdom government. ... Eric Graham Varley, Baron Varley (b. ... The Minister of Technology was a position in the government of the United Kingdom, sometimes abbreviated as MinTech. The Ministry of Technology was established by the incoming government of Harold Wilson in October 1964 as part of Wilsons ambition to modernise the state for what he perceived to be... is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ... is the 170th day of the year (171st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1970 ([[Rf 1970 == January 1 - The Unix epoch begins at 00:00:00 UTC January 2 - The last studio performance of The Beatles oman numerals|MCMLXX]]) was a common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Frank Cousins (1904-1986) was a British trade union leader and Labour politician. ... (Aubrey) Geoffrey Frederick Rippon, Baron Rippon of Hexham, PC, (May 28, 1924- 28 Jan 1997) was a British Conservative politician. ... Bristol South East was a parliamentary constituency in the city of Bristol. ... is the 334th day of the year (335th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 124th day of the year (125th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sir Richard Stafford Cripps, known as Stafford Cripps, (April 24, 1889 - April 21, 1952) was a British Labour politician and Chancellor of the Exchequer for several years following World War II. // Cripps was born in London. ... Malcolm Archibald James St. ... is the 232nd day of the year (233rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... June 9 is the 160th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (161st in leap years), with 205 days remaining. ... Year 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar). ... Malcolm Archibald James St. ... Chesterfield is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... is the 60th day of the year (61st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... is the 158th day of the year (159th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... Eric Graham Varley, Baron Varley (b. ... Paul Holmes MP Paul Robert Holmes (born 16 January 1957) is a politician in the United Kingdom. ... is the 93rd day of the year (94th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... The Labour Party is a political party in the United Kingdom. ... is the 93rd day of the year (94th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Socialism is a social and economic system (or the political philosophy advocating such a system) in which the economic means of production are owned and controlled collectively by the people. ... The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A politician is an individual who is a formally recognized and active member of a government, or a person who influences the way a society is governed through an understanding of political power and group dynamics. ...

He was instrumental in the creation of the Peerage Act 1963. During the 1970s and 1980s, he was the prominent figure on the left of the Labour Party. The Peerage Act 1963 (1963 c. ... In politics, left-wing, political left, leftism, or simply the left, are terms which refer (with no particular precision) to the segment of the political spectrum typically associated with any of several strains of socialism, social democracy, or liberalism (especially in the American sense of the word), or with opposition... The Labour Party is a political party in the United Kingdom. ...

In the second government of Harold Wilson he was Secretary of State for Industry. In the government of James Callaghan, he was Secretary of State for Energy. James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, PC (11 March 1916 – 24 May 1995) was one of the most prominent British politicians of the 20th century. ... Leonard James Callaghan, Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, KG, PC (27 March 1912 – 26 March 2005), was Labour Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979. ...

After John Parker, he is Labour's longest serving member of parliament. He is known as one of the few politicians to have become more left-wing after holding ministerial office.^[1] He also has become ever more interested in the grass-roots politics of demonstrations and meetings, and ever less in parliamentary activities. He has been a vegetarian since the 1970s. Herbert John Harvey Parker, normally known as John Parker (1906-1987) was a long-serving British Labour politician. ... This article refers to human nutrition and diet, for plant based diets in the animal kingdom see herbivore A variety of vegetarian food ingredients Vegetarianism is the practice of a diet that excludes all animal flesh, including poultry, game, fish, shellfish or crustacea, and slaughter by-products. ...

The term "Bennite" has come to be used in Britain for someone of a radical but democratic left-wing position.^[2]

Early life

Benn's paternal grandfather was Sir John Benn, 1st Baronet and his father was the 1st Viscount Stansgate. In October 1973 he announced on BBC radio that he wished to be known as "Mr. Tony Benn". His book Speeches from 1974 is credited to Tony Benn, but much of the media persisted with Anthony Wedgwood Benn into the late 1980s. He was frequently known to the public as Wedgwood Benn or "Wedgy Benn", the latter usually with pejorative connotations. Sir John Williams Benn, 1st Baronet (November 13, 1850-10 April 1922) was a British politician, particularly associated with London politics, and noted as the grandfather of Tony Benn. ... Viscount Stansgate, of Stansgate in the County of Essex, is a currently disclaimed title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. ... For the song by James Blunt, see 1973 (song). ...

His father William Wedgwood Benn was a Liberal Member of Parliament (MP) who defected to Labour and was later elevated to the House of Lords with the title of 1st Viscount Stansgate. Both his grandfathers Sir John Williams Benn (who founded the family publishing house) and Daniel Holmes were also Liberal MPs (respectively, for St. George's, Tower Hamlets, Devonport and Glasgow Govan). Benn's contact with leading people of the day thus goes back to his earliest years as a result of his family's profile; he met David Lloyd George when he was twelve and Gandhi in 1931 while his father was Secretary of State for India. William Wedgwood Benn, 1st Viscount Stansgate (1877 - 1960) was a British Liberal MP who later joined the Labour Party and served as Secretary of State for India in Ramsay MacDonalds second administration. ... This article is about the historic Liberal Party. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a parliament. ... This article is about the British House of Lords. ... Sir John Williams Benn, 1st Baronet (November 13, 1850-10 April 1922) was a British politician, particularly associated with London politics, and noted as the grandfather of Tony Benn. ... Tower Hamlets was a two seat constituency in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom created under the Reform Act 1832 and divided under the Redistribution of Seats Act, 1885 into a number of single member divisions (see below for details). ... Plymouth, Devonport is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... Glasgow Govan was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until 2005. ... David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd George of Dwyfor, OM, PC (17 January 1863 – 26 March 1945) was a British statesman who guided Britain and the British Empire through World War I and the postwar settlement as the Liberal Party Prime Minister, 1916-1922. ... “Gandhi” redirects here. ... The office of Secretary of State for India or India Secretary was created in 1858 when India was brought under direct British rule (British Raj). ...

His mother Margaret Eadie (née Holmes) (1897-1991), was a dedicated theologian, founder President of the Congregational Federation and feminist. She was member of the League of the Church Militant which was the predecessor of the Movement for the Ordination of Women. In 1925 she was rebuked by Randall Thomas Davidson, the then Archbishop of Canterbury, for advocating the ordination of women. This would prove that she was ahead of her time, as it would happen over 60 years later. His mother's theology had a profound influence on Tony, as she taught him to support the prophets and not the Kings, as the prophets taught righteousness. Margaret Benn (née Eadie) (1897-1991), also known as Viscountess Stansgate, was the mother of the English Labour politician Tony Benn, a dedicated theologian, President of the Congregational Federation, and an advocate of womens rights. ... Theology is literally rational discourse concerning God (Greek θεος, theos, God, + λογος, logos, rational discourse). By extension, it also refers to the study of other religious topics. ... Feminism is a social theory and political movement primarily informed and motivated by the experience of women. ... Randall Thomas Davidson, by Leslie Ward, 1901. ... The Archbishop of Canterbury is the spiritual leader and senior clergyman of the Church of England, recognized by convention as the head of the worldwide Anglican Communion. ... In general religious use, ordination is the process by which one is consecrated (set apart for the undivided administration of various religious rites). ...

He was a pupil at Westminster School and studied at New College, Oxford during which time he was elected as President of the Oxford Union. In later life Benn attempted to remove public references to his private education from Who's Who; in the 1975 edition his entry stated "Education—still in progress". In the 1976 edition, almost all details of his biography were omitted save for his name, jobs as a Member of Parliament and as a Government minister, and address; the publishers confirmed that Benn had sent back his draft entry with everything else struck through. ^[3] In the 1977 edition, Benn's entry disappeared entirely. ^[4] For other uses, see Westminster School (disambiguation). ... and of the New College College name New College of St Mary Latin name Collegium Novum Oxoniensis/Collegium Sanctae Mariae Wintoniae Named after Mary, mother of Jesus Established 1379 Sister college Kings College, Cambridge Warden Prof. ... Whos Who is the name of a number of publications, generally containing concise biographical information on a particular group of people. ...

Benn met US-born Caroline Middleton DeCamp (born 13 October 1926) (from Cincinnati, Ohio, daughter of a lawyer) over tea at Worcester College in 1949 and nine days later he proposed to her on a park bench in the city. Later, he bought the bench from Oxford City Council and installed it in the garden of their house in Holland Park. Tony and Caroline had four children - Stephen, Hilary, Melissa (a journalist) and Joshua, and ten grandchildren. Caroline Benn died of cancer on 22 November 2000 aged 74 after a career as a prominent educationalist. Caroline Middleton Decamp Benn (13 October 1926-22 November 2000) was an educationalist and writer, and wife of British Labour politician, Tony Benn. ... is the 286th day of the year (287th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1926 (MCMXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Cincinnati, Ohio viewed from the SW, across the Ohio River from Kentucky. ... Official language(s) English de facto Capital Columbus Largest city Columbus Largest metro area Greater Cleveland Area  Ranked 34th  - Total 44,825 sq mi (116,096 km²)  - Width 220 miles (355 km)  - Length 220 miles (355 km)  - % water 8. ... Worcester College has been an institution of learning since the late thirteenth century, even though the current college was founded only in the eighteenth century. ... Year 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Oxford is a city and local government district in Oxfordshire, England, with a population of 134,248 (2001 census). ... Holland Park is a district and a public park in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, in west central London in England. ... The Hon Stephen Michael Wedgwood Benn (born 1951) is the Heir Apparent to the Viscountcy of Stansgate. ... Hilary James Wedgwood Benn (November 26, 1953) is a British politician, a current member of the British cabinet as Secretary of State for International Development and Labour Member of Parliament for the West Yorkshire constituency of Leeds Central. ... Melissa Anne Benn (born 21 February 1957) is a British journalist and writer. ... Cancer is a class of diseases or disorders characterized by uncontrolled division of cells and the ability of these to spread, either by direct growth into adjacent tissue through invasion, or by implantation into distant sites by metastasis (where cancer cells are transported through the bloodstream or lymphatic system). ... is the 326th day of the year (327th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ...

In July 1943, Benn joined the Royal Air Force.^[5] His father and brother Michael (who was later killed in action) were already serving in the RAF in 1943. Whilst holding the rank of pilot officer, Tony Benn served as a pilot in South Africa and Rhodesia.^[6] “RAF” redirects here. ... A Pilot Officers sleeve/shoulder insignia Pilot Officer (Plt Off in the RAF; PLTOFF in the RAAF and RNZAF, P/O in the former RCAF) is the lowest substantive commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries, ranking only above Acting... This article is about the former British colony of Southern Rhodesia, todays Zimbabwe. ...

His children have also been active in politics. His first son Stephen served as an elected member of the Inner London Education Authority from 1986 to 1990. His second son Hilary served as a councillor in London, and stood for Parliament in 1983 and 1987, finally becoming the Labour MP for Leeds Central in 1999. He served as Secretary of State for International Development from 2003, moving to become Environment Secretary in 2007. This makes him the third generation of his family to have sat in the Cabinet of the Government of the United Kingdom, a rare distinction for a modern political family in Britain. In September 2007, shortly before her 18th birthday, Benn's granddaughter Emily, was selected to contest East Worthing and Shoreham in the next general election.^[7] The Hon Stephen Michael Wedgwood Benn (born 1951) is the Heir Apparent to the Viscountcy of Stansgate. ... The Inner London Education Authority (ILEA) was the education authority for the 12 inner London boroughs, from 1965 until its abolition in 1990. ... Hilary James Wedgwood Benn (November 26, 1953) is a British politician, a current member of the British cabinet as Secretary of State for International Development and Labour Member of Parliament for the West Yorkshire constituency of Leeds Central. ... Leeds Central is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... In the United Kingdom, the Secretary of State for International Development is a Cabinet minister responsible for promoting development overseas, particularly in the third world. ... A cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of government, typically representing the executive branch. ... Emily Sophia Wedgwood Benn (born 4 October 1989) is the eldest child and only daughter of Stephen Benn and Nita Clarke (née Bowes). ... Creation 1997 MP Tim Loughton Party Conservative Type House of Commons County West Sussex EP constituency South East England East Worthing and Shoreham is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ...

Tony Benn is a cousin of the late actress, Dame Margaret Rutherford. For other uses, see Actor (disambiguation). ... Dame Margaret Rutherford DBE (11 May 1892–22 May 1972) was an English Academy Award-winning character actress who first came to prominence following World War II in the film adaptations of Noel Cowards Blithe Spirit, and Oscar Wildes The Importance of Being Earnest. ...

Member of Parliament

Following his World War II service as a pilot in the Royal Air Force, Benn worked briefly as a BBC Radio producer. He was unexpectedly selected to follow Stafford Cripps as Labour candidate for Bristol South East and won the seat in a by-election 30 November 1950 after Cripps stood down for ill health. Anthony Crosland helped him get the seat as he was MP for nearby South Gloucestershire at the time and nicknamed Benn "Jimmy" from knowing him at Oxford University. In 1951 Benn became the youngest MP, or "Baby of the House". Benn in the 1950s was an MP with middle-of-the-road or soft left views. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ... Sir Richard Stafford Cripps, known as Stafford Cripps, (April 24, 1889 - April 21, 1952) was a British Labour politician and Chancellor of the Exchequer for several years following World War II. // Cripps was born in London. ... Bristol South East was a parliamentary constituency in the city of Bristol. ... The Bristol South East by-election, 1950 was a by-election held on 30th November 1950 for the British House of Commons constituency of Bristol South East in the city of Bristol. ... Charles Anthony Raven Crosland (29 August 1918 - 19 February 1977) was a member of the Labour Party and an important socialist theorist. ... Year 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Baby of the House is the unofficial title given to the youngest member of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ...

Peerage reform

Benn's father had been created Viscount Stansgate in 1942 when Winston Churchill offered to increase the number of Labour Peers; at this time Benn's older brother Michael was intending to enter the priesthood and had no objections to inheriting a peerage. However Michael was later killed on active service in the Second World War, and this left Benn as the heir to a peerage. He made several attempts to remove himself from the line of succession but they were all unsuccessful. Viscount Stansgate, of Stansgate in the County of Essex, is a currently disclaimed title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. ... Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Churchill redirects here. ... For other uses, see Peerage (disambiguation). ...

In November 1960, Benn's father died and as a result he was prevented from sitting in the House of Commons. Still insisting on his right to abandon his unwelcome peerage, Benn fought to retain his seat in the by-election on 4 May 1961 caused by his succession. Although he was disqualified from taking his seat, the people of Bristol South-East re-elected him. An election court found that the voters were fully aware that Benn was disqualified, and gave the seat to the Conservative runner up in the by-election, Malcolm St Clair, ironically the son of a peer too. Year 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Type Lower House Speaker of the House of Commons Leader of the House of Commons Michael Martin, (Non-affiliated) since October 23, 2000 Harriet Harman, QC, (Labour) since June 28, 2007 Shadow Leader of the House of Commons Theresa May, PC, (Conservative) since December 6, 2005 Members 646 Political groups... The Bristol South East by-election, 1961 was a by-election held on 4 May 1961 for the British House of Commons constituency of Bristol South East in the city of Bristol. ... The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is the second largest political party in the United Kingdom in terms of sitting Members of Parliament (MPs), the largest in terms of public membership, and the oldest political party in the United Kingdom. ... Malcolm Archibald James St. ...

Outside Parliament Benn continued his campaign, and eventually the Conservative government accepted the need for a change in the law. The Peerage Act 1963, allowing renunciation of peerages, was given the Royal Assent and became law shortly after 6 p.m. on 31 July 1963. Benn was the first peer to renounce his title, at 6.22 p.m. that day. St. Clair had already given an undertaking that he would respect the wishes of the people of Bristol if Benn became eligible to take his seat again, and therefore took the Manor of Northstead (i.e. resigned his seat) immediately. Benn returned to the Commons after winning a by-election on 20 August. The Peerage Act 1963 (1963 c. ... // The granting of Royal Assent is the formal method by which a constitutional monarch completes the legislative process of lawmaking by formally assenting to an Act of Parliament. ... is the 212th day of the year (213th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Members of Parliament sitting in the House of Commons in the United Kingdom are technically forbidden to resign. ... The Bristol South East by-election, 1963 was a by-election held on 20 August 1963 for the British House of Commons constituency of Bristol South East in the city of Bristol. ...

He has a sample of his blood taken before his renunciation of his peerage, so he can say there is still some "blue blood" in his house.

In government (1964-1970)

In the 1960s government of Harold Wilson he became Postmaster General; during his time in that position, he oversaw the opening of the Post Office Tower, the creation of the Postal Bus Service and the introduction of the UK's first commemorative postage stamps to be designed by David Gentleman. He proposed issuing stamps without the Sovereign's head, but this met with private opposition from the Queen. Instead, the portrait was reduced to a small profile in silhouette, a format that is still often used on stamps today.^[8] He later became Minister of Technology, a post which allowed his enthusiasm for gadgets to shine through, including responsibility for overseeing the development of Concorde, as well as the formation of International Computers Ltd. (ICL). The 1960s decade refers to the years from 1960 to 1969, inclusive. ... James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, PC (11 March 1916 – 24 May 1995) was one of the most prominent British politicians of the 20th century. ... In the United Kingdom, the Postmaster General is a now defunct ministerial position. ... For other BT Towers, see BT Tower (disambiguation). ... David Gentleman (b. ... Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor; born 21 April 1926) is Queen of sixteen sovereign states, holding each crown and title equally. ... For other uses, see Concorde (disambiguation). ... International Computers Ltd, or ICL, was a large British computer hardware, computer software and computer services company that operated from 1968 until 2002, when it was renamed Fujitsu Services Limited after its parent company, Fujitsu. ...

Labour lost the 1970 general election to Edward Heath's Conservatives. Heath applied to join the European Economic Community and Benn campaigned for a referendum on the UK's membership. The Shadow Cabinet voted for a referendum on 29 March 1972 and as a result Roy Jenkins resigned as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party. The United Kingdom general election of 1970 was held on June 18, 1970, and resulted in a surprise loss of power for Labour under Harold Wilson, who was replaced as Prime Minister by the Conservative leader, Edward Heath. ... Sir Edward Richard George Heath, KG, OBE (9 July 1916 – 17 July 2005) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974 and leader of the Conservative Party from 1965 to 1975. ... The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is the second largest political party in the United Kingdom in terms of sitting Members of Parliament (MPs), the largest in terms of public membership, and the oldest political party in the United Kingdom. ... The European Community (EC) was originally founded on March 25, 1957 by the signing of the Treaty of Rome under the name of European Economic Community. ... is the 88th day of the year (89th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Roy Harris Jenkins, Baron Jenkins of Hillhead, OM, PC (November 11, 1920 – January 5, 2003) was a British politician and a prominent Labour Member of Parliament in the 1960s and 1970s, and founding member of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). ...

In government (1974-1979): the move to the left

Tony Benn debating British membership of the EEC on Panorama in 1975.

In the Labour government of 1974 Benn became Secretary of State for Industry, but in 1975 he was moved to Secretary of State for Energy, following his unsuccessful campaign for a "No" vote in the referendum on the UK's membership of the EEC. By his own admission in his diary (25 October 1977), Benn "loathed" the EEC; he claimed it was "bureaucratic and centralised" and "of course it is really dominated by Germany. All the Common Market countries except the UK have been occupied by Germany, and they have this mixed feeling of hatred and subservience towards the Germans."^[9] Image of Tony Benn, on BBC Panorama 1975 (debating the EEC) Image was captured from broadcast, and touched up in the GIMP. This is a screenshot of a copyrighted website, video game graphic, computer program graphic, television broadcast, or film. ... Image of Tony Benn, on BBC Panorama 1975 (debating the EEC) Image was captured from broadcast, and touched up in the GIMP. This is a screenshot of a copyrighted website, video game graphic, computer program graphic, television broadcast, or film. ... Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ... The President of the Board of Trade the title of a cabinet position in the United Kingdom government. ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Secretary of State for Energy was a UK cabinet position from 1974 to 1992. ... The United Kingdom referendum of 1975 was a postlegislative referendum held on 5 June 1975 in the whole of the UK over whether there was support for the UK to stay in the European Economic Community, which the UK had entered in 1973, under the Conservative government of Edward Heath. ... is the 298th day of the year (299th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ...

Wilson resigned as Leader of the Labour Party and Prime Minister in 1976. Benn entered the leadership contest but gained only 37 votes in the first ballot, coming fourth. Benn then withdrew from the second ballot and supported Michael Foot for the leadership but James Callaghan won instead. There was then a sterling crisis and Callaghan and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Healey, sought to gain a loan from the International Monetary Fund. Benn circulated amongst Ministers the Cabinet minutes from the 1931 minority Labour government of Ramsay MacDonald which cut unemployment benefits to secure a loan from American bankers and resulted in splitting the Labour Party. Callaghan allowed Benn to put forward his "alternative economic strategy", which consisted of a siege economy. However this plan was rejected by the Cabinet. The Labour Party leadership election of 1976 occurred when former leader Harold Wilson resigned as Party Leader and Prime Minister. ... Michael Mackintosh Foot (born 23 July 1913) is an English politician and writer. ... Leonard James Callaghan, Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, KG, PC (27 March 1912 – 26 March 2005), was Labour Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979. ... “GBP” redirects here. ... The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister responsible for all economic and financial matters. ... “IMF” redirects here. ... Year 1931 (MCMXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1931 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... James Ramsay MacDonald (12 October 1866 – 9 November 1937) was a British politician and three times Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. ...

By the end of the 1970s Benn had migrated to the left-wing of the Labour Party. Benn attributed this political shift to his experience as a minister in the 1964-1970 Labour government. Benn wrote:

As a minister, I experienced the power of industrialists and bankers to get their way by use of the crudest form of economic pressure, even blackmail, against a Labour Government. Compared to this, the pressure brought to bear in industrial disputes is minuscule. This power was revealed even more clearly in 1976 when the IMF secured cuts in our public expenditure. These lessons led me to the conclusion that the UK is only superficially governed by MPs and the voters who elect them. Parliamentary democracy is, in truth, little more than a means of securing a periodical change in the management team, which is then allowed to preside over a system that remains in essence intact. If the British people were ever to ask themselves what power they truly enjoyed under our political system they would be amazed to discover how little it is, and some new Chartist agitation might be born and might quickly gather momentum.^[10] States currently utilizing parliamentary systems are denoted in red and orange—the former being constitutional monarchies where authority is vested in a parliament, and the latter being parliamentary republics whose parliaments are effectively supreme over a separate head of state. ... Chartism was a movement for political and social reform in the United Kingdom during the mid-19th century between 1838 and 1848. ...

Benn's philosophy became known as "Bennism", which consisted of a form of syndicalism, economic planning, greater democracy in the structures of the Labour Party and observance of Party conference decisions by the Party leadership.^[11] Benn was vilified in the press and his enemies implied a Benn-led Labour government would implement a type of East European socialism.^[12] Conversely, Benn was overwhelmingly popular with Labour activists. A survey of Labour Conference delegates of 1978 found that by large margins they supported Benn for the leadership and many Bennite policies.^[13] Syndicalism refers to a set of ideas, movements, and tendencies which share the avowed aim of transforming capitalist society through action by the working class on the industrial front. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ...

He publicly supported Sinn Féin and the unification of Ireland, although he has recently suggested to Sinn Féin leaders that Sinn Féin abandon its long-standing policy of not taking seats at Westminster. Sinn Féin argue that to do so would recognise Britain's claim over Northern Ireland and the Sinn Féin constitution prevents its elected members from taking their seats in any British-created institution. For pre-Arthur Griffith use of the political name, see Sinn Féin (19th century). ... Northern Ireland (Irish: ) is a part of the United Kingdom lying in the northeast of the island of Ireland, covering 5,459 square miles (14,139 km², about a sixth of the islands total area). ...

In opposition

In a keynote speech to the Labour Party Conference of 1980, Benn outlined what he envisaged the next Labour government would do. "Within days" a Labour government would grant powers to nationalise industries, control capital and implement industrial democracy; "within weeks" all powers from Brussels would be returned to Westminster and then they would abolish the House of Lords by the creation of a thousand peers and then by abolishing the peerage. Benn received a tumultuous applause from the audience. Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the British House of Lords. ...

In 1981 he stood for election against the incumbent Denis Healey as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, disregarding the appeal from party leader Michael Foot either to stand for the leadership or to abstain from inflaming the party's divisions. Benn defended his decision with an insistence that it was "not about personalities but about policies." The contest was closely fought and Healey emerged victorious by a margin of barely 1%. The decision of several moderate left wing MPs, including Neil Kinnock, to abstain from supporting Benn triggered the split of the Campaign Group from the left of the Tribune Group. Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... Denis Winston Healey, Baron Healey, CH, MBE, PC (born 30 August 1917), is a British Labour politician. ... Michael Mackintosh Foot (born 23 July 1913) is an English politician and writer. ... Neil Gordon Kinnock, Baron Kinnock, PC (born 28 March 1942) is a British politician. ... The Socialist Campaign Group is a left wing grouping of Labour Party Members of Parliament in the UK. The group is generally Eurosceptic and has many socially conservative members. ... Tribune is a democratic socialist weekly, currently a magazine though in the past more often a newspaper, published in London. ...

After Argentina had invaded the Falkland Islands in April 1982 Benn argued that the dispute should be settled by the United Nations and that the British Government should not send a task force to recapture the islands. The task force was sent and the Falklands was soon back in British hands. In a subsequent debate in the Commons, Benn's demand for "a full analysis of the costs in life, equipment and money in this tragic and unnecessary war" was countered by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher stating that "he would not enjoy the freedom of speech that he put to such excellent use unless people had been prepared to fight for it."^[14] Combatants Argentina United Kingdom Commanders President Leopoldo Galtieri Vice-Admiral Juan Lombardo Brigadier-General Ernesto Crespo Brigade-General Mario Menéndez Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher Admiral Sir John Fieldhouse Rear-Admiral John “Sandy” Woodward Major-General Jeremy Moore Casualties 649 killed 1,068 wounded 11,313 taken prisoner 75 fixed... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... UN and U.N. redirect here. ... A task force (TF) is a temporary unit or formation established to work on a single defined task or activity. ... Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC, FRS (née Roberts; born 13 October 1925) served as British Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990 and leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 until 1990, being the first and to date only woman to hold either post. ...

Benn's Bristol South-East constituency was abolished by boundary changes in 1983, and he lost the selection battle to stand in the safe seat of Bristol South to Michael Cocks. Rejecting offers from the new seat of Livingston in Scotland, Benn fought and was defeated in Bristol East by Conservative candidate Jonathan Sayeed. As the darling of Labour activists it was not surprising that he was selected for the first Labour seat to fall vacant, and he was elected as MP for Chesterfield in a by-election the following year when Eric Varley resigned his seat to head Coalite. On the day of the by-election (1 March 1984) The Sun newspaper ran a hostile feature article "Benn on the Couch" which purported to be the opinions of an American psychiatrist, a clear attempt to influence the voters. In fact, the psychiatrist had been fed The Sun's anonymous version of Benn. In the intervening period, since Benn's defeat in Bristol, another leadership election had taken place in which Neil Kinnock won, and which Benn was not able to contest because he was not an MP. Year 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar). ... Bristol South is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... Michael Francis Lovell Cocks, Baron Cocks of Hartcliffe (19 August 1929 - 26 March 2001) was a Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom. ... Livingston is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... Bristol East is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is the second largest political party in the United Kingdom in terms of sitting Members of Parliament (MPs), the largest in terms of public membership, and the oldest political party in the United Kingdom. ... Jonathan Sayeed (born 20 March 1948) is a Conservative politician in the United Kingdom. ... Chesterfield is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... Eric Graham Varley, Baron Varley (b. ... is the 60th day of the year (61st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... This article is about a British tabloid. ... Neil Gordon Kinnock, Baron Kinnock, PC (born 28 March 1942) is a British politician. ...

He was a prominent supporter of the 1984-1985 miners' strike and his long-standing friend, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) leader Arthur Scargill. Some miners though considered Benn's 1977 industry reforms to have led to problems during the strike: firstly, they led to huge wage differences and distrust between miners of different regions; secondly, the controversy over balloting miners for these reforms made it unclear as to whether a ballot was needed for a strike or whether it could be deemed as a "regional matter" in the same way that the 1977 reforms were. The miners strike of 1984-5 was a major piece of industrial action affecting the British coal industry. ... The National Union of Mineworkers is a trade union for coal miners in the United Kingdom. ... Arthur Scargill (born January 11, 1938) led the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) from 1981 to 2000. ...

He stood for election as Party Leader in 1988 and was defeated again. In the first Gulf War he was active in the anti-war movement and visited Baghdad (after Edward Heath) to persuade Saddam Hussein to release the hostages who had been captured. He was also one of the very few MPs to oppose the Kosovo War. In 1991, he proposed the Commonwealth of Britain Bill. It proposed abolishing the British monarchy, with the United Kingdom becoming a "democratic, federal and secular commonwealth", in effect, a republic with a written constitution. It was read in Parliament a number of times until his retirement at the 2001 general election, but never achieved a second reading. The Labour Party leadership election of 1988 arose when Tony Benn, identified with the left-wing of the British Labour Party, challenged the incumbent Neil Kinnock. ... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ... For other uses, see Iraq war (disambiguation). ... Sir Edward Richard George Heath, KG, OBE (9 July 1916 – 17 July 2005) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974 and leader of the Conservative Party from 1965 to 1975. ... Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti (28 April 1937 – 30 December 2006) was the fifth President of Iraq and Chairman of the Iraqi Revolutionary Command Council from 1979 until his overthrow by US forces in 2003. ... The term Kosovo War or Kosovo Conflict is often used to describe two sequential and at times parallel armed conflicts (a civil war followed by an international war) in the southern Serbian province called Kosovo (officially Kosovo and Metohia), part of the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... The Commonwealth of Britain Bill was introduced by Tony Benn, who was then a Labour MP in the House of Commons, first in 1991. ... This article is about the monarchy of the United Kingdom, one of sixteen that share a common monarch; for information about this constitutional relationship, see Commonwealth realm; for information on the reigning monarch, see Elizabeth II. For information about other Commonwealth realm monarchies, as well as other relevant articles, see... Democracy is a form of government under which the power to alter the laws and structures of government lies, ultimately, with the citizenry. ... A map displaying todays federations. ... This article concerns secularity, that is, being secular, in various senses. ... For other uses, see Commonwealth (disambiguation). ... Look up republic in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Type Bicameral Houses House of Commons House of Lords Speaker of the House of Commons Michael Martin MP Lord Speaker Hélène Hayman, PC Members 1377 (646 Commons, 731 Peers) Political groups Labour Party Conservative Party Liberal Democrats Scottish National Party Plaid Cymru Democratic Unionist Party Sinn Féin... Tony Blair William Hague Charles Kennedy The UK general election, 2001 was held on 7 June 2001 and was dubbed the quiet landslide by the media. ... A second reading is the state of the legislative process where a draft of a bill is read a second time. ...

Retirement

Tony Benn about to join the March 2005 anti-war demonstration in London

In 2001 he retired from Parliament but remains involved in politics. With Edward Heath, Benn was given the privilege of being able to continue using the House of Commons Library and Members' refreshment facilities by the Speaker. Benn claimed that his retirement allowed him to "devote more time to politics", suggesting that for him 'real politics' is about struggle rather than parliamentary procedure. He became a leading figure of the British opposition to the War on Iraq, and in February 2003 he travelled to Baghdad to again meet (and interview) Saddam Hussein. The interview was shown on British television. He also spoke out against the Iraq war at the February 2003 protest in London organised by the Stop the War Coalition, attended by over 1 million people. In February 2004 he was elected the first President of the Stop the War Coalition. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (332x790, 220 KB) Photo of Tony Benn On anti-war demo in London 19/03/05 Taken by JK the Unwise who gives it the following license: File links The following pages link to this file: Tony Benn Talk:Tony Benn... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (332x790, 220 KB) Photo of Tony Benn On anti-war demo in London 19/03/05 Taken by JK the Unwise who gives it the following license: File links The following pages link to this file: Tony Benn Talk:Tony Benn... This article is about protests concerning the 2003 invasion of Iraq. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... Sir Edward Richard George Heath, KG, OBE (9 July 1916 – 17 July 2005) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974 and leader of the Conservative Party from 1965 to 1975. ... The House of Commons Library is the library and information resource of the lower house of the British Parliament. ... It has been suggested that Speakers of the House be merged into this article or section. ... For other uses of the term, see Iraq war (disambiguation) The 2003 invasion of Iraq (also called the 2nd or 3rd Persian Gulf War) began on March 20, 2003, when forces belonging primarily to the United States and the United Kingdom invaded Iraq arguably without the explicit backing of the... 2003 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December A timeline of events in the news for February, 2003. ... Baghdad (Arabic: ) is the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate. ... Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti (28 April 1937 – 30 December 2006) was the fifth President of Iraq and Chairman of the Iraqi Revolutionary Command Council from 1979 until his overthrow by US forces in 2003. ... The Stop the War Coalition (StWC) (informally just Stop the War) is a UK anti-war group set up on 21 September 2001. ... 2004 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December- → // February 29, 2004 Jean-Bertrand Aristide resigns as president of Haiti and flees the country for the Central African Republic. ... The Stop the War Coalition (StWC) (informally just Stop the War) is a UK anti-war group set up on 21 September 2001. ...

He has toured with a one-man stage show, and also appears regularly in a two-man show with folk singer Roy Bailey. In 2003 his show with Bailey was voted Best Live Act at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. In 2002 he opened the "Left Field" stage at the Glastonbury Festival. In October 2003 Benn was a guest of British Airways on the last-ever scheduled Concorde flight from New York to London. In June 2005 Benn was a panellist on a special edition of BBC1's Question Time (shown 30 June 2005). The special edition was edited entirely by a school age film crew selected by a BBC competition. There are a number of notable persons called Roy Bailey, including; Roy Bailey, Canadian politician Roy Bailey, UK folk singer Roy Bailey, volcanologist with the United States Geological Survey This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards celebrate outstanding achievement during the previous year within the field of folk music. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or Glasto, is the largest[1] greenfield music and performing arts festival in the world. ... 2003 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December A timeline of events in the news for October, 2003. ... For the 1930s airline of similar name, see British Airways Ltd. ... For other uses, see Concorde (disambiguation). ... This article is about the state. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... 2005 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December- → Deaths in June June 27: Shelby Foote June 27: John T. Walton June 26: Richard Whiteley June 25: John Fiedler June 25: Chet Helms June 24: Paul Winchell June 21: Jaime Cardinal Sin June 20: Jack Kilby... BBC One (or BBC1 as it was formerly styled) is the oldest United Kingdom, and indeed, the world. ... Question Time is a topical debate television programme in the United Kingdom, based on Any Questions?. It is currently shown on BBC One at 22:35 on Thursdays, and typically features politicians from the three major political parties and other public figures who answer questions put to them by the... is the 181st day of the year (182nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

On 21 June 2005 Benn presented a show on democracy as part of the Channel 5 series Big Ideas That Changed The World, he presented a left-wing view^{[citation needed]} of democracy as the means to pass power from the "wallet to the ballot". He argued that traditional social democratic values were under threat in an increasingly globalised world in which powerful institutions such as the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the European Commission remain unelected and unaccountable to those whose lives they affect daily. is the 172nd day of the year (173rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... “IMF” redirects here. ... It has been suggested that World Bank be merged into this article or section. ... Berlaymont, the Commissions seat The European Commission (formally the Commission of the European Communities) is the executive branch of the European Union. ...

On 27 September 2005 Benn was taken ill at the Labour Party Conference in Brighton and taken by ambulance to the Royal Sussex County Hospital after being treated by paramedics at the Brighton Centre. Benn reportedly fell and struck his head. He was to be kept in hospital for observation but was described as being in "comfortable condition". He was subsequently fitted with an artificial pacemaker to help regulate his heartbeat. In a list compiled by the magazine New Statesman in 2006, he was voted twelfth in the list of "Heroes of our time"^[15]. is the 270th day of the year (271st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Labour Party Conference, or annual national conference of the Labour Party, is formally the supreme decision-making body of the Party. ... Brighton is located on the south coast of England, and together with its immediate neighbour Hove forms the city of Brighton and Hove. ... The Royal Sussex County Hospital is a hospital in Brighton, England. ... A pacemaker, scale in centimeters A pacemaker (or artificial pacemaker, so as not to be confused with the hearts natural pacemaker) is a medical device which uses electrical impulses, delivered by electrodes contacting the heart muscles, to regulate the beating of the heart. ... The New Statesman is a left-of-centre political weekly published in London. ...

Tony Benn attacks John Bolton on the BBC's Question Time programme in 2007.

In September 2006, Benn joined the "Time to Go" Demonstration in Manchester the day before the start of the final Labour Conference with Tony Blair as party leader, with the aim of persuading the Labour Government to withdraw troops from Iraq, to refrain from attacking Iran and to reject replacing the Trident missile and submarines with a new system. He spoke to the demonstrators in the rally afterwards along with other politicians and journalists including George Galloway and members of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. In 2007, he appeared in an extended segment in the Michael Moore film Sicko giving comments about democracy, social responsibility, and health care. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... September 2006 is the ninth month of 2006 and has begun on a Friday. ... This article contains technical information about the Trident ballistic missile. ... The Vanguard class are the Royal Navys current nuclear ballistic missile submarines (SSBN), each armed with up to 16 Trident II SLBMs. ... George Galloway,. (born 16 August 1954 in Dundee) is a Scottish politician and author noted for his left-wing views, confrontational style, and rhetorical skill. ... CND redirects here. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Michael Francis Moore (born April 23, 1954) is an American political-activist, a film director, author, social commentator, and political humorist. ... For other uses, see Sicko (disambiguation). ...

Wikinews has related news:

Wikinews interviews: Tony Benn on U.K. politics

A poll by the BBC2 The Daily Politics programme in January 2007 selected Benn as the UK's "Political hero" with 38.22% of the vote, beating Baroness Thatcher with 35.3% and five other contenders including Alex Salmond, leader of the Scottish National Party; Clare Short, independent MP; Neil Kinnock, previous Labour Party leader; Norman Tebbit, previous Conservative Party chairman and Shirley Williams, one of the 'gang of four' who founded the Social Democratic Party. ^[16] Image File history File links WikiNews-Logo. ... Wikinews is a free-content news source and a project of the Wikimedia Foundation. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Daily Politics is a British Television show launched by the BBC in 2003. ... January 2007 is the first month of that year. ... Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC, FRS (née Roberts; born 13 October 1925) served as British Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990 and leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 until 1990, being the first and to date only woman to hold either post. ... Alexander Elliot Anderson Salmond, known as Alex Salmond (born 31 December 1954 ) (age 52)), has been nominated by the Scottish Parliament as First Minister of Scotland. ... The Scottish National Party (SNP) (Scottish Gaelic: is a centre-left political party which campaigns for Scottish independence. ... Clare Short (born 15 February 1946) is a British politician and a member of the British Labour Party. ... Neil Gordon Kinnock, Baron Kinnock, PC (born 28 March 1942) is a British politician. ... The Labour Party is a political party in the United Kingdom. ... Norman Beresford Tebbit, Baron Tebbit, CH, PC (born 29 March 1931) is a British Conservative politician and former Member of Parliament (MP) for Chingford, who was born in Southgate in Enfield. ... The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is the second largest political party in the United Kingdom in terms of sitting Members of Parliament (MPs), the largest in terms of public membership, and the oldest political party in the United Kingdom. ... The Baroness Williams of Crosby Shirley Williams, Baroness Williams of Crosby, PC (born July 27, 1930), is a British politician. ... The Social Democratic Party (SDP) was a political party of the United Kingdom that existed nationwide between 1981 and 1988. ...

In the 2007 Labour Party leadership election, Tony Benn backed the left wing MP John McDonnell in his unsuccessful bid. In September 2007 Benn called for the government to hold a referendum on the EU Reform Treaty ^[17]. The 2007 Labour Party Leadership Election campaign is already underway, but is still awaiting an announcement of a vacancy by Tony Blair which is to be followed within 72 hours by a meeting of Labours NEC to decide a timetable. ... This article or section needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone and/or spelling. ... The Reform Treaty (also referred to as; future institutional settlement or new legal basis, among others) is a proposed replacement for the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe (European Constitution). ...

In October 2007, at the age of 82, Benn announced that he wanted to come out of retirement and return to the House of Commons, having written to the Kensington and Chelsea constituency Labour Party offering himself as a prospective candidate for the seat currently held by the Conservative Sir Malcolm Rifkind.^[18][19] Kensington and Chelsea is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... A Constituency Labour Party (CLP) is an organisation of members of the British Labour Party who live in a particular parliamentary constituency in England, Scotland and Wales. ... Sir Malcolm Leslie Rifkind, KCMG, QC (born 21 June 1946) is a Scottish Conservative and Unionist politician and Member of Parliament for the constituency of Kensington and Chelsea. ...

Aphorisms

• He is known for saying (in connection with his placing of a plaque in memory of Emily Davison in the House of Commons) "Never ask the authorities for permission - it takes up so much of your time!" ^{[citation needed]}

• "It's very interesting to me that some ex-communists in the Labour party have been able to shift from Stalin to Blair and it hasn't been much of a shift... the shift from Stalin to Blair is a minor adjustment." ^[20].

• "All war represents a failure of diplomacy."^[21]

• "There is no moral difference between a Stealth bomber and a suicide bomber. They both kill innocent people for political reasons." [1]

• "If we can find the money to kill people, we can find the money to help people." ^[22]

Emily Davison Emily Davison (1872 – June 8, 1913) was an activist for womens suffrage in the United Kingdom. ...

Diaries and biographies

Tony Benn is a prolific diarist: seven volumes of his diaries have been published (the first six collected as ISBN 0-09-963411-2, the latest available as ISBN 0-09-941502-X). He also wrote Arguments for Socialism (1979), Arguments for Democracy (1981) and (with Andrew Hood) Common Sense (1993), as well as Free Radical: New Century Essays (2004). In August 2003, London DJ Charles Bailey created an album of Benn's speeches (ISBN 1-904734-03-0) set to ambient groove. == c programming[[a--203. ... 2003 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December A timeline of events in the news for August, 2003. ... Ambient music is a loosely defined musical genre that incorporates elements of a number of different styles - including jazz, electronic music, new age, rock and roll, modern classical music, reggae, traditional, world and even noise. ...

He has also made public several episodes of audio diaries he made during his time in Parliament and after retirement. Short series of these have been played periodically on BBC 7 Radio. BBC Radio 7 is a digital radio station broadcasting comedy, drama, and childrens programming 24 hours a day. ...

A major biography was written by Jad Adams and published by Macmillan in 1992. Tony Benn: A Biography (ISBN 0-333-52558-2)

There are substantial essays on Tony Benn in both the Dictionary of Labour Biography, (Greg Rosen [ed], Politicos Publishing, 2001) and in Labour Forces (Kevin Jefferys [ed], I. B. Taurus Publishing, 2002).

A 'semi-authorised' biography, with a foreword by Benn, was published in 2001: David Powell, Tony Benn: A Political Life, Continuum Books.^[23] An autobiography, Dare to be a Daniel: Then and Now (Hutchinson), was published in 2004.

References

The Times is a national newspaper published daily in the United Kingdom (and the Kingdom of Great Britain before the United Kingdom existed) since 1788 when it was known as The Daily Universal Register. ... is the 77th day of the year (78th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1976 Pick up sticks(MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Times is a national newspaper published daily in the United Kingdom (and the Kingdom of Great Britain before the United Kingdom existed) since 1788 when it was known as The Daily Universal Register. ... is the 94th day of the year (95th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 101st day of the year (102nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Dennis Kavanagh (born 27 March, 1941) is a British political analyst and since 1996 has been Professor of Politics at the University of Liverpool. ... Ian Gordon (born May 15, 1975 in North Battleford, Saskatchewan) is a Canadian ice hockey goaltender who currently plays for the Frankfurt Lions of the Deutsche Eishockey League. ... The New Statesman is a left-of-centre political weekly published in London. ... is the 11th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 277th day of the year (278th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The New Statesman is a left-of-centre political weekly published in London. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 277th day of the year (278th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 277th day of the year (278th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 277th day of the year (278th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Guardian is a British newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... For other uses, see 5th October (Serbia). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 277th day of the year (278th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 277th day of the year (278th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Bibliography

Diaries:

• Benn, Tony: "The Benn Diaries, 1940-90", Arrow Books Ltd (2005)

• Benn, Tony: "Years of Hope: Diaries, Letters and Papers, 1940-62", Arrow Books Ltd (1995)

• Benn, Tony: "Out of the Wilderness: Diaries, 1963-67", Arrow Books Ltd (1988)

• Benn, Tony: "Office Without Power: Diaries, 1968-72", Arrow Books Ltd (1989)

• Benn, Tony: "Against the Tide: Diaries, 1973-77", Arrow Books Ltd (1990)

• Benn, Tony: "Conflicts of Interest: Diaries, 1977-80", Arrow Books Ltd (1991)

• Benn, Tony: "The End of an Era: Diaries 1980-90", Arrow Books Ltd (1994)

• Benn, Tony: "Free at Last!: Diaries, 1991-2001", Arrow Books Ltd (2003)

• Benn, Tony: "More Time for Politics: Diaries 2001-2007", Hutchinson (TO BE PUBLISHED- 4th October 2007)

Essays/ Biography etc

• Benn, Tony: "Levellers and the English Democratic Tradition", Spokesman Books (1976)

• Benn, Tony: "Why America Needs Democratic Socialism", Spokesman Books (1978)

• Benn, Tony: "Prospects", Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers, Technical, Administrative and Supervisory Section (1979)

• Benn, Tony: "Case for Constitutional Civil Service", Inst. for Workers' Control (1980)

• Benn, Tony: "Case for Party Democracy", Inst. for Workers' Control (1980)

• Benn, Tony: "Arguments for Socialism", Penguin Books Ltd (1980)

• Benn, Tony: "Arguments for Democracy", Jonathan Cape (1981)

• Benn, Tony: "European Unity: A New Perspective", Spokesman Books (1981)

• Benn, Tony: "Parliament and Power: Agenda for a Free Society", Verso Books (1982)

• Benn, Tony & Hood, Andrew: "Common Sense: New Constitution for Britain", Hutchinson (1993)

• Benn, Tony: "Free Radical: New Century Essays", Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd (2004)

• Benn, Tony: "Dare to Be a Daniel: Then and Now", Arrow Books Ltd (2005)

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

Tony Benn

Wikisource has original works written by or about:

Tony Benn

• Tony Benn Official site (currently unavailable until further notice - October 2006)
• Unofficial Tony Benn site with extensive interview, articles, audio & visual
• Tony Benn Podcast From Channel 4 Radio, a single 15-minute episode where Tony Benn presents personal thoughts on government, society and control.
• 'Face-to-Face with Tony Benn'. Freeview video interview by the Vega Science Trust
• Transcript of Tony Benn's interview with Saddam
• Tony Benn: End of an era
• Andrew Roth. Tony Benn Chesterfield and Bristol South East MP, The Guardian, 25 March 2001.
• Tony Benn: A Political Life ISBN 0-8264-5699-5
• Guardian web guide to the veteran leftwinger Tony Benn
• Tony Benn interview for Leftfield appearances at the Glastonbury Festival
• Tony Benn speaking at Anti-War event Manchester, UK, February, 2005 - 20 minute video on the Internet Archive
• Tony Benn speaking at Anti-War event in Manchester, UK, 15th March 2006 - 25 minute video on the Internet Archive
• Tony Benn. Atomic hypocrisy: West is not in a position to take a high moral line, The Guardian, 30 November 2005.
• Amy Goodman. Interview with Tony Benn: How Britain secretly helped Israel build its nuclear arsenal, Democracy Now!, 10 March 2006.
• The Commonwealth - UK government site
• Benn in the 1960s as seen by Private Eye
• [2] audio interview with The Guardian.
• His Address to the College Historical Society of Trinity College