Tony Benn passes away

[EM2]

Former Cabinet minister and veteran left-wing campaigner Tony Benn has died at home, his family has said.

The 88-year-old former Labour MP had been seriously ill.

Mr Benn became an MP in November 1950 and served in the Cabinet under Harold Wilson and James Callaghan.

A major figure on the left of the party, he narrowly missed out on the deputy leadership in 1981 and went on to be a popular public speaker, anti-war campaigner and political diarist.

In a statement his children Stephen, Hilary, Melissa and Joshua said Mr Benn died peacefully early this morning at his home in west London surrounded by his family.

"We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to all the NHS staff and carers who have looked after him with such kindness in hospital and at home", the family said.

"We will miss above all his love which has sustained us throughout our lives. But we are comforted by the memory of his long, full and inspiring life and so proud of his devotion to helping others as he sought to change the world for the better."

They said arrangements for his funeral will be announced in due course.

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

 

[Buttsy]

A fine orator, great politician who stood by his convictions and was never one to try to be liked by everyone. The socialist movement has lost its greatest advocate.

 

[Rhondda Rudie]

Will be very sadly missed.Met him once at a rally during the miners strike.An absolute gentleman.A real giant compared to today's pygmy politicians.

 

[Greenback]

I had a lot of respect for Tony Benn. I am sorry, but not surprised to ehar of his passing, as he had been ill for some time.

He was from a time when media image was not as important as political beliefs. RIP.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

His skill as an orator remains unsurpassed.

 

[Oswyntail]

A man who stood by his beliefs, and, as such, comparatively rare in politics. I rarely agreed with what he said, but I could respect that his views came from consistent logic. I am saddened by his death.

 

[fowler9]

A great man and a great loss to the world.

 

[gordonthemoron]

IIRC Tony liked to take a pint mug with him on train trips and get it filled with tea in the buffet

 

[Jones]

Sadly the politicians are dying out and being replaced by the flexible MP's of today.

RIP.

 

[G0ORC]

A sad day.

Very true to say we shall never see his like again - a man from before the me, me, me era of politics, a true socialist who never waivered in his views and never toed the party line if he didn't personally believe in what they were doing.

A great loss to democracy - a man who believed in the power of the ordinary person and supported them when they stood up for the things they believed in.

Sad, very sad.

 

[waterlooroader]

A bad week for the left with Bob Crow passing earlier.

A principled and articulate Socialist and much better than the current breed of politicos who follow the party line to the end of the earth.

RIP

 

[Butts]

Well farewell Viscount Stansgate (as was)

RAF Service during the war and a distinguished Political Career - a generation of these men are no longer around - mores the pity.

Macmillan, Heath, Callaghan, Powell - the only survivor left is Denis Healey.

 

[yorksrob]

Farewell Tony Benn indeed. Decried as left wing when he suggested putting aside some of the North Sea oil revenue. We would have done well to listen !

One doesn‘t necessarily agree with everything he said, but undeniably a great man.

 

[mikeg]

A sad day indeed, I once met him before a speech he gave in the potteries and was stunned by the force of his arguments even when I didn't agree with them as one of the more moderate members of his party. Principled, outspoken yet mild mannered. Exactly what every politician should aspire to be like, regardless of views held.

 

[12CSVT]

Possibly the most principled politician this country has ever had.

He once had to serve a lenghty ban from Parliament for refusing to accept a hereditary peerage.

 

[Antman]

I disagreed with most of what Tony Benn stood for but none the less I always though he was a thoroughly decent and honourable person, unlike the more modern generation of politicians who (to quote the words of Sting) all seem like game show hosts. RIP Tony.