Benn dead.

[mollinary]

Principled, hmmmm, he certainly had principles but was utterly unscrupulous in his attempts to get them accepted by the wider Labour Party which he and his coterie of lunatics rendered virtually unelectable. The degree to which he was hated by many in his party, like for example Jack Straw, will only become apparent once the obligatory period of Nil Nisi has elapsed. This was a man who encouraged the brainless militancy of the 70's which, lest we forget, buried most of British manufacturing. It wasn't Thatcher that killed the indigenous car industry, it was Benn, Robinson et al.

His espousal of Militant Tendency showed his utter detachment from reality and unfitness to hold high office (as Harold Wilson said, 'Tony immatures with age'). Also, he was a big admirer of the mass murderer Mao and, by extension, Mao's protégé Pol Pot (mentioned earlier). Lenin would have called him a 'useful idiot' and Lenin would have been right.

Together with his wealthy heiress wife Caroline (another moneyed pitier of the poor), he worked tirelessly to kill the Grammar Schools which for boys like me offered the best way up the ladder. Of course to the well connected like Benn (or Paul McCartney, or Alistair Campbell, pick your own posturing celeb) a first class education wasn't essential to progress socially, their position in society, their circle of friends and their contacts, ensured that their comprehensively educated children fast tracked to success.

Smug, patronising and self satisfied, his effect on the lives of the ordinary working people of this country was entirely detrimental, like I said, small loss.

Come on Cam, don't be shy - tell us what you really think!   

Mollinary

[cameronian]

Can't, Leon would give me a life ban !