I liked Tony Benn. Despite his fruit bat loopy Leftist views, there was a decency and honesty about the man, who had the courage of his own convictions. A rare thing amongst todays Politicians.That those same convictions caused a major schism and alienated many within the Labour Party back in the 70/80s should not really be held against the guy. He was simply a maverick, marching to the beat of his own drum, and there must always be room for them.

The many eulogies being paid today are a fitting tribute to an educated guy, who always displayed the ability to listen and respect an opponents point of view, before debating the point.

The World of Politics is a poorer place today.

Pay attention Old Girl. The word is gloating..... as shown in several posts by the rather strange people who hold a particular viewpoint on this forum. And incidentally, as expressed by that late unlamented shaven headed Union bully boy.

There was no mention of censorship that I recall.

I don't recall seeing any posts from someone who gloated over Margaret Thatcher's death demanding that nobody should gloat over Bob Crow's.

I did see disagreements over Crow himself, but that's far from being the same thing.

And if "no gloating was allowed", then it suggests censorship because how else would that be achieved on a forum such as this?

Loopy leftist views? Oh you mean all those things such as racial equality, gay rights etc.. that are all taken as being the norm these days!
I was fortunate to encounter Tony Benn twice in the last year, once in London and once on a beautiful summer's day in Tolpuddle in Dorset, such a great man!
A truly crap week for the left.

One of the best politicians ever. A shame the "establishment"( the unelected power brokers) were able to vilify him through their rags and people were daft enough to believe all the guff.
A shame he never made PM.
A great HUMANITARIAN something very few politicians are these days.

Would comfortably talk rings around most of todays politicians, journalists and commentators- especially that shower they had on QT last night.

My honest opinion of him, I thought he was a talker rather than a dooer, making things actually happen in government or politics relies on a certain pragmatism that I think he lacked in favour of always staying on his message. There is no question he was intelligent and I agree with many of his stated principles, but when I read his 5 questions I do wonder if he fell short himself when it came to who he served. In my opinion he served himself as much as any I have seen in politics, the fact his ideals were in many cases aligned with many of my beliefs doesn't alter the fact that his, at times, innability to see past his own agenda at a time when his brand of socialism was not a vote winner cost the Labour party and the country dearly. Self indulgent when the country needed an opposition that was united and electable. I'm sure some old Tories were huge fans of Tony Benn and his work on the left of the Labour party.

But even as a kid I knew who he was and what he stood for. Government these days looks like the management team of WHSmith - and is just as recognisable.

I wonder if his diaries will ever get published? On-line versions could make intersting reading, but then maybe you don't need to know everything about everybody.

rlI think most of them are availablerl.

As I was typing that I thought they had been. Thanks.

Seemed a very decent, principled man. The product of a good, Protestant upbringing.

What odd logic ... in fact no logic at all.

Quote: Stand-Offish "What odd logic ... in fact no logic at all.'" www.standard.co.uk/news/politics ... rnalSearch

Quote: Stand-Offish "What odd logic ... in fact no logic at all.'" www.standard.co.uk/news/politics ... rnalSearch

When Wilson eviscerated the mines and miners in the 60's, where was Benn, the "champion of the powerless"?

No that load of old fanny again?

Whenever right-wingers want to excuse Thatcher's anhialation of the mining industry, they always bring up the fact that Wilson closed more pits. They also conveniently forget to mention that the NUM, however reluctantly, went along with the closures because they accepted the argument that the pits earmarked for closure were exhausted. They also worked with the Labout government of the day to ensure as many miners as possible were redeployed in other, productive pits.

But Thatcher wasn't going to close all them pits didn't you know?
It's all Scargill's fault that the UK mining industry is deceased, apparently.