Death of Tony Benn

Harold Wilson said of him that he immatured with age.

When he retired from parliament he said he wanted to spend more time in politics.

He once quipped: "When you think of the number of men in the world who hate each other, why, when two men love each other, does the church split."

He said kings were people of power, prophets were teachers.

The man who surrendered his hereditary peerage, and then went out and won a Westminster seat  for Bristol, Tony Benn, died today some time before 07.00. He was 88.

He was an MP for over 50 years, an eloquent orator, who spent his life on the side of those on the margins.

Even if one disagreed with any of his policies, one could be nothing but inspired with the man.

His wife, Caroline, his life-long soulmate predeceased him. They married in 1949 and she died in 2000.

His son, Hilary was a Cabinet Minister in Tony Blair and Gordon Brown's governments.

Enoch Powell said that all politics ends in failure.

Benn left his mark. They'll be reading Benn when Wilson, Callahan, Blair and Brown will have been long forgotten.

I listened and observed the man for over 40 years.