By
James Rush
and Daily Mail Reporter
|
Veteran Labour politician Tony Benn has died at home today at the age of 88, his family has said in a statement
Veteran Labour politician Tony Benn has died at home today at the age of 88, his family has said in a statement.
The former cabinet minister died this morning at his home in west London surrounded by family members.
In a statement his children Stephen, Hilary, Melissa and Joshua said: ‘It is with great sadness that we announce that our father Tony 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.
‘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.
‘Arrangements for his funeral will be announced in due course.’
Prime Minister David Cameron paid tribute to the Labour veteran.
He said: ‘I am sorry to hear that Tony Benn has died.
‘He was a magnificent writer, speaker, diarist and campaigner, with a strong record of public and political service. There was never a dull moment listening to him, even when you disagreed with everything he said.’
Labour leader Ed Miliband said he had last seen Benn two weeks ago in hospital, when he was ‘ailing in body but sharp as ever in mind’.
As I left he said to me “Well, old son. Let’s have a proper talk when you have more time”,’ he remembered.
He said Benn was an ‘iconic figure of our age’, adding: ‘He will be remembered as a champion of the powerless, a great parliamentarian and a conviction politician.
‘Tony Benn spoke his mind and spoke up for his values. Whether you agreed with him or disagreed with him, everyone knew where he stood and what he stood for.’
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Benn, pictured in October 2013, joined the House of Commons as an MP for Bristol South East in 1950, but was prevented from being an MP when he became the second Viscount Stansgate, after his father’s death in 1960
Benn was famously spoofed when he was interviewed by Ali G who asked: ‘Does the welfare not just encourage young girls to go out and get jiggy with Mr Biggy?’
Mr Miliband said Benn ‘won respect from across the political spectrum’.
Benn famously renounced his peerage to remain in the Commons.
He
was described as the ‘most dangerous man in Britain’ in the 1980s, but
was voted the UK’s ‘political hero’ by viewers of the BBC’s Daily
Politics programme in 2007.
Benn,
born Anthony Neil Wedgwood on April 3 1925, became a Labour MP in 1950.
He was quite moderate but by the time he retired in 2001, ‘to devote
more time to politics’, he was one of the most radical politicians in
his party.
He put forward the Commonwealth of Britain Bill to abolish the monarchy in 1992.
In
later life, Benn was appointed President of Stop the War Coalition and
campaigned vigorously against the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Former cabinet minister Tony Benn died this morning at his home in west London surrounded by family members
VIDEO: WATCH TONY BENN MEET ALI G
He
said: ‘I hate war. War is murder, rape, torture and plunder. But I’m
not a pacifist. I believe in the right of self-defence. I joined the RAF
in the war (in 1943 where he served as a pilot officer in South Africa
and Rhodesia) but didn’t get my wings until the end so never had to kill
anyone.’
His older
brother Michael died in the war, while serving with the RAF. ‘I got the
telegram at the beginning of an RAF training class about weather and I
had to sit there for an hour and then I went outside and wept.’
Benn
was born into politics. His grandfather, John Benn, was a Liberal MP.
His father, William Benn, was a Liberal and then Labour MP and Secretary
of State for India.
Having
studied at Westminster School, Benn read Philosophy, Politics and
Economics at New College, Oxford, and was elected President of the
Oxford Union in 1947 – a position also held by politicians such as
Michael Foot, William Hague and Boris Johnson.
In later life, Benn was appointed President of Stop the War Coalition and campaigned vigorously against the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq
He joined the House of Commons as an MP for Bristol South East in 1950, but was prevented from being an MP when he became the second Viscount Stansgate, after his father’s death in 1960.
Benn fought to change the law and was the first to renounce his peerage, which was crucial in the creation of the Peerage Act in 1963.
Having returned to the Commons, Benn was made Postmaster General where he oversaw the opening of the Post Office Tower – then the UK’s tallest building.
He later served as a Cabinet minster under Harold Wilson, who commented that he ‘immatured with age.’
Benn, a vegetarian and obsessive tea-drinker, befriended people from opposite ends of the political spectrum. He was friends with Conservative politician Enoch Powell (and supported his stance on Europe), but was a prominent supporter of the UK miners’ strike and close friend of leader, Arthur Scargill.
Tony Benn at the Labour Party Conference in Brighton, on October 1, 1979
British Labour Leader of the Opposition Michael Foot (left) with Labour MP Tony Benn in their seats at the House of Commons during the State opening of Parliament, London, on November 20 1980
He was also the last Westerner to interview Saddam Hussein, a few weeks before the war. ‘I wanted to ask him to his face whether he had Weapons of Mass Destruction. He told me he didn’t. Turned out he was telling the truth.’
He was famously spoofed when he was interviewed by Ali G who asked: ‘Does the welfare not just encourage young girls to go out and get jiggy with Mr Biggy?’
To which he replied: ‘If you think girls get pregnant because they think they’ll get benefit, I think you’re living in a funny world.’
Benn recorded his colourful career in his diary, which he said helped him learn from his mistakes.
Benn was also the last Westerner to interview Saddam Hussein, a few weeks before the war
‘Experience is the only real teacher and if you keep a diary you get three bites at educating yourself – when it happens, when you write it down, and when you reread it and realise you were wrong. Making mistakes is part of life. The only things I would feel ashamed of would be if I had said things I hadn’t believed in order to get on. Some politicians do do that.’
Benn was a family man and had four children, Stephen, Hilary, Melissa and Joshua, with his wife Caroline DeCamp, who died of cancer in 2000. He met her over tea at Worcester College, in Oxford, in 1949 and proposed to her nine days later on a park bench in the city. He later bought the bench from the church which owned it and put it in their garden in Holland Park.
Benn’s second son, Hilary, is a Labour MP and a Cabinet member – following in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps.
His father – who said that he was ‘not afraid of dying’ – will be remembered as the old rebel who became a national treasure.
Former prime minister Gordon Brown said: ‘Tony Benn was a powerful, fearless, relentless advocate for social justice and people’s rights whose writing as well as speeches will continue to have a profound influence on generations to come.
‘My thoughts are with his family, whom he adored.’
Former foreign secretary Dame Margaret Beckett said Mr Benn had been a ‘brilliant speaker’ on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.
She said: ‘People who heard him speak up and down the country will never forget it… people may or may not agree with him but they would come out of a public meeting he had addressed saying “I didn’t agree with any of it, but it was wonderful”.
‘He had such clarity of expression, he opened people’s eyes and he made them think.
‘He was fantastic (to work for). Delightful, friendly, very open minded and interested always in new ideas… a really charming, nice man.
‘He made enemies and kept enemies but on the whole I think most people regarded him with a good degree of affection, long before he got sufficiently old, as he said himself, he can’t do any more harm.’
In a further tribute, shadow work and pensions secretary Rachel Reeves tweeted: ‘Very sorry to hear about the loss of Tony Benn. A towering figure in the Labour Party and in parliament. Thoughts go out to his family.’
Conservative MPs also marked Mr Benn’s passing.
Chris Pincher tweeted: ‘Sad news of the death of Tony Benn. A great parliamentarian and speaker and fine diarist. One of the Left’s truly big figures.’
George Freeman said: ‘So Farewell Tony Benn. A true and great Parliamentarian of our times. A teenage political radical hero of mine as a teenager. Best wishes to Hilary and all family.’
Treasury Minister Sajid Javid said: ‘As young boy in Bristol, grew up admiring Tony Benn, despite politics. Very sad to hear he has passed away. A man of principle and compassion.’
Comments (111)
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jbdanvers,
Scotland, United Kingdom,
20 minutes ago
I disagreed with many of his ideas but I have a deep respect and affection for Tony Benn. He spoke his mind without prejudice or fear and must be one of the last politicians devoid of corruption or hypocrisy. I remember him in his heyday in the Wilson government. RIP Tony !
Bibbly Bobbly,
Camberley,
21 minutes ago
A great believer in democracy, he wanted more power for the people, and saw the Common Market/EU as the antithesis of that.
jbdanvers,
Scotland, United Kingdom,
21 minutes ago
I disagreed with many of his ideas but I have a deep respect and affection for Tony Benn. He spoke his mind without prejudice or fear and must be one of the last politicians devoid of corruption or hypocrisy. I remember him in his heyday in the Wilson government. RIP Tony !
twelfth-man,
Norfolk, United Kingdom,
21 minutes ago
A rarity indeed – Tony Benn was true to himself and his principles throughout his career. Who amongst the rabble in the Commons today can claim the same?
meoverhere,
NewZealand,
21 minutes ago
Brilliant bloke. Very sad loss for socialists around the globe.
Sandra,
Staffordshire, United Kingdom,
22 minutes ago
Rest In Peace a great Parliamentarian of our times.
George,
London,
22 minutes ago
Colourful character but thank God he never held any really important position in government
Sandra,
Staffordshire, United Kingdom,
23 minutes ago
Rest In Peace a great Parliamentarian of our times.
davson,
London,
23 minutes ago
The left-wing socialist from Westminster school, Oxford died peacefully at his grand, multi-million home in Holland Park… Still RIP as we show more respect in death than they did when Thatcher passed away…
Sandra,
Staffordshire, United Kingdom,
23 minutes ago
Rest In Peace a great Parliamentarian of our times.
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