Labour stalwart Tony Benn dies at 88

[LeftishBrit]

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.

(Much more at link):

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


RIP. An awful loss.

[dipsydoodle]

1. RIP

Tony Benn: the establishment insider turned leftwing outsider http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/mar/14/tony-benn-dies-establishment-insider-turned-leftwing-outsider

[Laelth]

2. k&r for the Great Tony Benn. n/t

-Laelth

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. Live coverage of reactions:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-26574714

Lots coming in, from all sides.

[Ken Burch]

8. Including maniacal laughter from Tony Blair, most likely

[mr blur]

4. The last great Socialist politician

The likes of Bliar never even belonged in the same party as T.B.

[non sociopath skin]

5. A sad day for those of us who still believe in democratic socialism and political honesty

May he sleep well.

The Skin

[T_i_B]

6. He was very well regarded in Chesterfield....

...where he was MP for a number of years. Even people who disliked his politics rated him as a constituency MP.

[Ken Burch]

7. The prime minister the UK should have had(although, at the same time, it should have lost the "K")

He stood for what he believed in right up to the end(unlike his party, which ended up choosing not to believe in anything but trying to win elections for winning elections' sake and thus ended up making their last three victories meaningless).

A well-lived life.