Forum Topic

Tony Benn

The best Prime Minister we never had?

Gareth Evans ● 6646d13 Comments

If you think that being consistently wrong on every major issue throughout his career is the right qualification for being PM, then obviously we missed out on a great leader.

Richard Greenhough ● 6643d

"True Frank...would you say the same applied to Margaret Thatcher?"Yes, definitely. Love her or hate her (I hated her) you knew exactly where you stood  with her. Too many of today's politicians are more concerned with achieving power at any cost rather than the principles for which they pretend to believe in.

Frank Sykes ● 6643d

Yeah,most of them skint and with appalling human rights records.

Keith Iddon ● 6644d

Socialism seems to be succeeding in South America quite well. Lots of countries following Chavez of Venezuela.

Paul Davis ● 6644d

JimIn 1974 he was Sec.of State for Industry, and the following year Sec.of State for Energy. When Wilson resigned in 1976 he stood for election as leader, but if my memory serves me right, he was heavily defeated! So his fellow MP colleagues obviously never shared Gareth's' opinion of him. My opinion was that he never forgave them for it!

w John Michael Atkinson ● 6644d

"The best Prime Minister we never had?"Gareth,Are you suggesting he might been?  And if so during which parliamentary years would he have been most effective?I recall him being the Minister for Technology or something during the 1960's and he looked almost too young to be in such a position.  Doesn't he ponder too much?  Would he have lent on the Unions in the 60's ,70's and 80's. I think not.I saw him staggering out of the Palace of Westminster once, worse for booze it looked..and he somehow crossed the road outside and got into his parked Mini!  Answer in my book: No!  But I'd like to hear a detailed arguement from the "yeses"..as I might learn something!

Jim Lawes ● 6644d

At least she did not sell the Falkland Islanders "up the swanee"! What would he have done, give them over to the military Junta?

w John Michael Atkinson ● 6645d

True Frank...would you say the same applied to Margaret Thatcher?

Keith Iddon ● 6645d

Whether you agreed with his views or not, he was one of a fast vanishing breed - an honest politician who always said exactly what he thought and kow-towed to no-one. We could do with a few like that nowadays!

Frank Sykes ● 6645d

Gareth,I'm a little surprised you didn't put yourself in the frame for that title...!;-)...you're right in some ways,'though I'm not sure a socialist could manage what is a capitalist economy that successfully.Socialism lost the battle in the West years ago and it isn't doing too well anywhere else,imho.

Keith Iddon ● 6646d

Not at all.  I have always liked and admired Tony Benn even when it was really unfashionable to agree with him such as in the early 70s.

Bernadette Paul ● 6646d

You are having a laugh of course!

w John Michael Atkinson ● 6646d

Possibly yes.

Bernadette Paul ● 6646d