Goodbye Mr Benn

[Peckris 579]

Some here may not have wholeheartedly agreed with everything you stood for, but it's a sad day nevertheless. Most people respected you even if they didn't agree with you.

There'll be a lot of tea-drinking in Heaven right now...

[Debbie 58]

Oops I thought you were referring to the bowler hatted cartoon character....

[Chris Perkins 223]

Yes, he was a proper politician that transcended party politics and was very likeable. People of all political persuasions respected him, and rightly so.

[declanwmagee 122]

A sad loss. I think that just leaves Scargill as the last person in Britain who actually believes in something.

[Rob 3,002]

It will come as a surprise to our Peck that I too respected his views and his resolve. There aren't many you can say that about.

[copper123 1,352]

Introduced by tony benn

1. British stamp design. As Postmaster General from 1964-6, the republican Benn wanted to permit the introduction of "non-traditional" designs - of landscapes, portraits of composers and so on - without the Queen's head, but he faced resistance from Buckingham Palace. The compromise that resulted from his campaign - a small cameo silhouette in the corner of pictorial stamps - can still be seen to this day.

2. The postcode system. Since the late 1950s, the Post Office had been trialling a method of six-digit alphanumeric codes to sort mail in the Norwich area. In October 1965, under Benn's watch as Postmaster General, the Post Office announced it would extend the system to the rest of the country. Benn also oversaw the opening of the Post Office Tower, now the BT Tower.

3. BBC Radio 1. Benn introduced the 1967 Marine Broadcasting Offences Act that closed down the pirate radio stations which were transmitting offshore around the coast of Britain. The legislation made it almost impossible for the likes of Radio Caroline to keep going and paved the way for the launch of Radio 1 in September of the same year.

4. E in Concorde. As minister of technology from 1966-70, Benn was responsible for the development of the Anglo-French supersonic airliner. Others can take credit for designing and building it, but Benn successfully resisted Treasury efforts to cancel it because of spiralling costs. He also restored the letter "e" to the project's name, which had been removed by former Prime Minister Harold Macmillan after a falling out with Charles de Gaulle. "E stands for excellence, for England, for Europe and for the entente cordiale," Benn said.

5. The rucksack with a built-in seat. Long a keen amateur inventor - he bolted a chair onto the roof of a car for his 1970 election campaign - Benn proudly showed off his creation, the "frontbencher", at the age of 83. "I was carrying around a stool and a rucksack and thought it would better if I put them together," he said. Less successful than his other innovations, he offered Sir Richard Branson the opportunity to manufacture it, but the tycoon turned him down.

[copper123 1,352]

at least three were far sighted successes one was a plaything of the rich and cost the taxpayer a fortune and the jury is out on the last

[Peckris 579]

A sad loss. I think that just leaves Scargill as the last person in Britain who actually believes in something.

Oh, don't forget The Beast of Bolsover!! Unless you actually meant Denis Skinner, and Scargill was a misprunt?

[Accumulator 52]

Like many I disagreed with Benn's views but liked the man and always enjoyed listening to his argument. He also had time for others with whom he vehemenantly disagreed. This rather poignant piece about Thatcher for example:

Although I thought she was wrong, she said what she meant and meant what she said. It was not about style with her; it was substance – I don’t think she listened to spin doctors, she just had a clear idea and followed it through.

I remember her at the funeral of MP Eric Heffer. I was asked to make a speech and as I was waiting, there was someone behind me coughing. It was Mrs Thatcher, and at the end I thanked her for coming and she burst into tears. She had come out of respect for someone whose opinions she disagreed with.”

[declanwmagee 122]

A sad loss. I think that just leaves Scargill as the last person in Britain who actually believes in something.

Oh, don't forget The Beast of Bolsover!! Unless you actually meant Denis Skinner, and Scargill was a misprunt?

Ah yes.

"Tell her to pay her taxes"

Classic Skinner.

[Peter 615]

I still like Maggie

I will wait to be shot....A woman with Bollocks

Dennis was a brave(and rich) man

[Peckris 579]

I still like Maggie

I will wait to be shot....A woman with Bollocks

Dennis was a brave(and rich) man

Oh no - he only gets his MP's salary. Unless you're talking about Healey? Last of the few, that one...

[declanwmagee 122]

I think Peter meant Denis Thatcher.... he must have been really bad in a previous life.

Edited March 16, 2014 by declanwmagee

[Peter 615]

Hoddlegate Declan?