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Tony Benn Biography

Anthony Neil Wedgwood Benn (3 April 1925 – 14 March 2014), originally known as Anthony Wedgwood Benn, but later as Tony Benn, was a British politician, writer, and diarist. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for 47 years between the 1950 and 2001 general elections and a Cabinet minister in the Labour governments of Harold Wilson and James Callaghan in the 1960s and 1970s. Originally a moderate, he was identified as being on the party's hard left from the early 1980s, and was widely seen as a key proponent of democratic socialism within the party.

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Tony Benn Quotes

I was radicalised by being a minister. That's when I saw how the system really worked. And that is not a very usual process, but it certainly happened to me: it gave me a lot more experience, it helped me to understand where power really lay, develop strategies for undermining or changing it, and so on. But that isn't the norm. Mr Gladstone moved to the left as he got older, and one or two other people have, but normally you swing the other way.

Changing, Helped, Norm, People, Strategy, Swing

I opposed the Suez war, I opposed the Falklands war. I opposed the Libyan bombing and I opposed the Gulf war and I never believed that any of those principled arguments lost a single vote - indeed, I think they gained support though that was not why you did it. What has been lacking in Labour politics over a long period is a principled stand

Falklands, Long, Opposed, Period, Thinking, War

Food movement organic food stores supplies health food products and facilitate with instrumental support in organic agriculture.

Agriculture, Creativity, Facilitate, Food, Supplies, Support

When I saw how the European Union was developing, it was very obvious what they had in mind was not democratic. In Britain, you vote for a government so the government has to listen to you, and if you don't like it you can change it.

Change, Democratic, Europe, European, Government, Like

It's the same each time with progress. First they ignore you, then they say you're mad, then dangerous, then there's a pause and then you can't find anyone who disagrees with you.

Creativity, Dangerous, Ignore, Innovation, Mad, Pause

I have had the advantage of a radical Christian upbringing

Advantage, Christian, Politics, Radical

I've got four lovely children, ten lovely grandchildren, and I left parliament to devote more time to politics, and I think that what is really going on in Britain is a growing sense of alienation. People don't feel anyone listens to them.

Children, Thinking, People, Listens, Four

Change from below, the formulation of demands from the populace to end unacceptable injustice, supported by direct action, has played a far larger part in shaping British democracy than most constitutional lawyers, political commentators, historians or statesmen have ever cared to admit. Direct action in a democratic society is fundamentally an educational exercise.

Admit, Change, Democracy, Direct Action, Educational, Exercise

I think if journalists were responsible for international policy we'd have a nuclear war every week.

Nuclear, Responsible, Thinking, War, Week

I think there are two ways in which people are controlled - first of all frighten people and secondly demoralize them.

Demoralize, Frighten, People, Thinking, Two, Ways

It is tempting to deny, but if you deny you confirm what you won't deny.

Confirm, Deny, Ifs, Tempting

If I were the American President I would rather be popular than have the power the destroy the world because however many puppets they have all over the Middle East - Saudi Arabia, Egypt and so on - they haven't got support from the people.

American, Destroy, People, President, Support

I believe the more difficult the circumstances, the more people will be inclined to trust those in charge at the moment.

Believe, People, Moments, Trust, Charge

I've been a member of the Labour Party sixty five years, and I remain in it, but I think it's all about campaigning for justice and peace, and if you do that, you get a lot of support.

Justice, Party, Remain, Support, Thinking, Years

I am not a reluctant peer but a persistent commoner

Commoner, Peer, Peers, Persistent, Politics, Reluctant

I really think in the Commonwealth of Europe you should have Russia. I listed a hundred countries that would be in it and it would then be a really European United Nations.

Commonwealth, Country, European, Hundred, Thinking, United Nations

I do not share the general view that market forces are the basis for political liberty. Every time I see a homeless person living in a cardboard box in London, I see that person as a victim of market forces. Everytime I see a pensioner who cannot manage, I know that he is a victim of market forces

Box, Everytime, Liberty, Political, See, Views

[I am against] the Treaty of Rome which entrenches laissez faire as its philosophy and chooses bureaucracy as its administrative method.

Entrenches, Faire, Laissez Faire, Philosophy, Rome

The Tory party is the enemy of democracy.

Democracy, Enemy, Party, Tory

It's lovely to be old. I've got age, experience and zero personal ambition. No body could corrupt me by anything: possibly a job in the government, a peerage, a quango, I don't want any of it.

Age, Ambition, Lovely, Quango, Zero

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