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Thomas Blenkinsop
Lower Sixth
South Town

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The difficulties of a revolution

A little while ago now, I went to Bath and heard Tony Benn talk; ostensibly over his written works, such as his autobiography. Swiftly the matter of the “lecture” turned to social theory and politics; as it invariably would when talking to a member of the Old Left, the old Labour, a socialist in the English tradition. Nevertheless, Benn answered very calmly, politely; even with very difficult questions. Such quiet resolve should not be surprising, given what his job was, where his life has taken him, and the fact he has multiple children.

Tony Benn is a former viscount, labour politician, and current socialist. With his ability to contend for the seat of Bristol South East (now defunct), he enabled the 1963 Peerage Act to happen. Regarded as technocratic, yet very much anti-nuclear (more on that later) – he has served in the RAF, spoken to Gandhi, travelled extensively, and created a variety of aphorisms. He has served as Chairman of the Labour Party, Secretary of State for Industry, and also for Energy; rather like Gladstone, he seems to have grown more radical with age, spawning the term “Bennite” which seems to be applied to the more radical of the English left. He has also been interviewed in Sicko, a Michael Moore documentary film. It is of no surprise, then, that he knows how to make a decent speech.

Benn answered questions on the Iraq war, the British political system, and his own life, adeptly and convincingly. One theme that echoed throughout his replies, and his conversational style of talking, was a strong anti-war bent. He mentioned having visited Hiroshima, very soon after the bombings, and being shown a single dark spot, with a crumpled-up metal box. He asked his guide why this spot, or this box, were so important. He was told the following: That spot was all that remained of a child. Vaporised into component atoms; ash and a dark stained spot – the box was simply a sign of what nuclear fire couldn’t char. This seems to have deeply affected Benn, who argued against war repeatedly, not merely the misconduct, but the simple principle “of” war.

By the same token, and not unexpectedly, I was pleased by his conduct and clear left-wing beliefs; his desire for an egalitarian society, biting disdain for the Tories, unwillingness to let heritage stand in the way of what’s right. What I didn’t expect was the sharp and winning humour, with such lines as: "... when Mrs Thatcher was asked her greatest achievement, she said 'New Labour'."All in all, I found Tony Benn as an inspiring figure. It’s just a shame he’s no longer an MP for the Bristol area – and equally a shame that Labour no longer shares many of his convictions.

11 March 2010

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