Tony Benn facts for kids

Tony Benn
Quick facts for kids The Right Honourable ; Tony Benn
	Tony Benn in 2007
President of the Stop the War Coalition
	In office; 21 September 2001 – 14 March 2014
Vice President	Lindsey German
Chairman	Andrew Murray; Jeremy Corbyn
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Vacant
Secretary of State for Energy
	In office; 10 June 1975 – 4 May 1979
Prime Minister	Harold Wilson; James Callaghan
Preceded by	Eric Varley
Succeeded by	David Howell
Secretary of State for Industry
	In office; 5 March 1974 – 10 June 1975
Prime Minister	Harold Wilson
Preceded by	Peter Walker (Trade and Industry)
Succeeded by	Eric Varley
Chairman of the Labour Party
	In office; 20 September 1971 – 25 September 1972
Leader	Harold Wilson
Preceded by	Ian Mikardo
Succeeded by	William Simpson
Minister of Technology
	In office; 4 July 1966 – 19 June 1970
Prime Minister	Harold Wilson
Preceded by	Frank Cousins
Succeeded by	Geoffrey Rippon
Postmaster General
	In office; 15 October 1964 – 4 July 1966
Prime Minister	Harold Wilson
Preceded by	Reginald Bevins
Succeeded by	Edward Short
Member of Parliament; for Chesterfield
	In office; 1 March 1984 – 7 June 2001
Preceded by	Eric Varley
Succeeded by	Paul Holmes
Member of Parliament; for Bristol South East
	In office; 20 August 1963 – 9 June 1983
Preceded by	Malcolm St Clair
Succeeded by	Constituency abolished
	In office; 30 November 1950 – 17 November 1960
Preceded by	Stafford Cripps
Succeeded by	Malcolm St Clair
Personal details
Born	Anthony Neil Wedgwood Benn ; 3 April 1925; Marylebone, London, England
Died	14 March 2014 (aged 88); London, England
Nationality	British
Political party	Labour
Spouse(s)	Caroline DeCamp; (m. 1949; died 2000)
Children	Stephen; Hilary; Melissa; Joshua;
Parents	William Wedgwood Benn; Margaret Holmes
Alma mater	Westminster School; New College, Oxford
Military service
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Branch/service	Royal Air Force
Rank	Pilot officer
Battles/wars	Second World War

Anthony Neil Wedgwood ‘Tony’ Benn, PC (3 April 1925 – 14 March 2014), formerly 2nd Viscount Stansgate, was a British Labour Party politician.

Benn was born in Marylebone, London, England. He was married to Caroline DeCamp (1926–2000) from 1949 until her death. Their four children are: Stephen, Hilary, Melissa and Joshua. He had been a vegetarian since 1970. He was also an agnostic.

Benn inherited the title of Viscount Stansgate from his father, William Wedgwood Benn, in 1960. He became the first peer to renounce his title. This made him able to become a Member of Parliament (MP) in 1963. He was a Cabinet Minister under Harold Wilson and James Callaghan. From 2001 to his death, he was President of the Stop the War Coalition.

Benn died after an illness on 14 March 2014 in London. He was 88 years old. He was outlived by his children.

Images for kids

Tony Benn shaking the hand of Maurice Papon during the official presentation of Concorde, 11 December 1967.
Benn speaking at the Glastonbury Festival in 2008
Benn about to join the March 2005 anti-war demonstration in London
Tony Benn and Giles Fraser speaking at Levellers' Day, Burford, 17 May 2008
Benn on the cover of Dartford Living, September 2009
Tony Benn speaking at the Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival and Rally 2012