Tony Benn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tony Benn
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Benn in 2006
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| President of the Stop the War Coalition | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 21 September 2001 – 14 March 2014 |
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| Vice President | Lindsey German | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chairman | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Position established | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Secretary of State for Energy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 10 June 1975 – 4 May 1979 |
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| Prime Minister | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Eric Varley | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | David Howell | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Secretary of State for Industry | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 5 March 1974 – 10 June 1975 |
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| Prime Minister | Harold Wilson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Peter Walker (Trade and Industry) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Eric Varley | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chairman of the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 20 September 1971 – 25 September 1972 |
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| Leader | Harold Wilson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Ian Mikardo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | William Simpson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minister of Technology | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 4 July 1966 – 19 June 1970 |
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| Prime Minister | Harold Wilson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Frank Cousins | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Geoffrey Rippon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Postmaster General | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 15 October 1964 – 4 July 1966 |
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| Prime Minister | Harold Wilson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Reginald Bevins | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Edward Short | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born |
Anthony Neil Wedgwood Benn
3 April 1925 Marylebone, London, England |
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| Died | 14 March 2014 (aged 88) London, England |
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| Political party | Labour | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other political affiliations |
Socialist Campaign Group | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse |
Caroline DeCamp
(m. 1949; died 2000) |
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| Children |
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| Parents |
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| Relatives | Emily Benn (granddaughter) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Education | Westminster School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | New College, Oxford | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Military service | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
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| Branch/service |  Royal Air Force |
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| Rank | Pilot officer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Battles/wars | World War II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tony Benn (born Anthony Neil Wedgwood Benn; 3 April 1925 – 14 March 2014) was a famous British politician. He was a Cabinet minister in the 1960s and 1970s. Tony Benn was a member of the Labour Party. He served as a Member of Parliament for 47 years. Later in his life, he became the President of the Stop the War Coalition. This group worked to stop wars.
Contents
Tony Benn: A Life in Politics
Tony Benn was known for his strong beliefs. He was a big supporter of democratic socialism. This idea means that society should be fair for everyone. He also believed in Christian socialism, which links Christian values with socialist ideas. He wanted the UK to be a secular state, meaning the government should not be linked to a specific church.
Tony Benn became a very important figure on the left side of the Labour Party. People even started using terms like Bennism and Bennite to describe his political ideas. He greatly influenced other politicians, like Jeremy Corbyn, who later became the leader of the Labour Party.
Early Life and Family
Tony Benn was born in London on 3 April 1925. He had two brothers, Michael and David. Michael sadly died during World War II.
Growing Up in a Political Family
Tony Benn came from a family deeply involved in politics. His father, William Benn, was also a Member of Parliament. He started as a Liberal and later joined the Labour Party. Tony's father was given the title of Viscount Stansgate in 1942. This meant he became a member of the House of Lords.
Tony's mother, Margaret Benn, was a theologian and a feminist. She believed in equal rights for women. She taught Tony that he should always support those who speak out for what is right, rather than those who just have power.
His Faith and Beliefs
Tony Benn was a committed Christian for many years. He believed that the teachings of Jesus Christ were very important for politics. He thought Jesus taught about social justice and equality for everyone. He felt that some religious leaders misunderstood Jesus's message.
Later in life, Tony Benn became more open to different ideas. He still believed in the importance of morality and fairness. He was influenced by the "Dissenting tradition." These were groups of Christians who disagreed with the official church.
Serving in World War II
During World War II, Tony Benn joined the Home Guard when he was 16. In 1943, he joined the Royal Air Force. He trained as a pilot in South Africa and Southern Rhodesia. He made his first solo flight in June 1944. He left the RAF in August 1945, shortly after the war ended.
Education and Personal Life
Tony Benn went to Westminster School and then to New College, Oxford. He studied Philosophy, politics and economics. He was elected President of the Oxford Union in 1947.
He met his wife, Caroline Middleton DeCamp, in 1949. They had four children: Stephen, Hilary, Melissa, and Joshua. Caroline was an educationalist and died in 2000. Two of their children, Stephen and Hilary, also became involved in politics. Hilary Benn followed in his father's footsteps and became a Labour MP and Cabinet minister.
Tony and Caroline Benn became vegetarians in 1970. They did this for ethical reasons.
Starting His Political Journey
Becoming an MP
After the Second World War, Tony Benn worked for BBC Radio. In 1950, he was chosen to be the Labour candidate for Bristol South East. He won the seat in a special election in November 1950. He was the youngest Member of Parliament at that time.
As an MP for Bristol South East, Tony Benn helped organize the Bristol Bus Boycott in 1963. This protest was against a company that refused to hire Black and Asian drivers. Tony Benn supported the boycott.
Fighting for Fairness: The Peerage Act
When Tony Benn's father died in 1960, Tony automatically inherited his father's title, Viscount Stansgate. This meant he became a peer and could no longer be a Member of Parliament. He believed this was unfair. He fought hard to give up his title and stay in the House of Commons.
He even ran for his old seat again in a special election in 1961 and won, even though he was not allowed to take his seat. His campaign was successful. In 1963, a new law called the Peerage Act 1963 was passed. This law allowed people to give up their inherited titles. Tony Benn was the first person to do this. He then won his seat back in another special election in August 1963.
Working in Government
Postmaster General and Technology Minister
In 1964, Tony Benn became the Postmaster General in Harold Wilson's Labour government. In this role, he oversaw the opening of the Post Office Tower. This was the tallest building in the UK at the time. He also helped create the Post Bus service and Girobank.
Later, he became the Minister of Technology. He was responsible for developing the Concorde airplane. He also helped create International Computers Ltd. (ICL).
Secretary of State for Industry and Energy
In 1974, Tony Benn returned to the government as Secretary of State for Industry. He worked to improve pay and conditions for workers. He also helped set up worker cooperatives, where employees owned and ran their companies.
In 1975, he became Secretary of State for Energy. He kept this job when James Callaghan became Prime Minister. During this time, he supported the UK's use of nuclear power. However, later in his life, he changed his mind and became an opponent of nuclear power. He believed it was not cheap, safe, or peaceful.
A Voice for the Left
Shifting Views and "Bennism"
By the late 1970s, Tony Benn's political views had moved further to the left. He said this happened because of his experiences as a minister. He learned that:
- Government officials could sometimes stop elected governments from carrying out their plans.
- The Labour Party leader had too much power.
- Big businesses and bankers could pressure the government.
- The media often presented news from the viewpoint of powerful people.
Tony Benn believed in giving more power to ordinary people and workers. He wanted more democracy within the Labour Party. His ideas became known as "Bennism."
Standing Up for Workers and Peace
When the Labour Party was not in power in the 1980s, Tony Benn became a leading voice for the left wing. He supported the miners' strike in 1984–85. He also spoke out against the European Economic Community (now the European Union). He believed it was too bureaucratic and controlled by Germany.
Tony Benn also supported Sinn Féin and the idea of a united Ireland. He was against Scottish independence. He believed that nationalism could divide people.
He proposed a "Commonwealth of Britain Bill" in 1991. This bill suggested that the UK should become a republic with a written constitution. It would abolish the monarchy and the House of Lords. It also suggested lowering the voting age to 16 and separating the church from the state. This bill was never passed.
Life After Parliament
Anti-War Activism
Tony Benn decided not to run for re-election in 2001. He said he was "leaving parliament in order to spend more time on politics." After leaving Parliament, he became the President of the Stop the War Coalition. He was a strong opponent of the War in Afghanistan and the Iraq War. In 2003, he even traveled to Baghdad to meet Saddam Hussein.
He spoke at many large anti-war protests in London. In February 2003, he spoke at a demonstration that had nearly a million people. He was re-elected President of the Stop the War Coalition in 2004 and 2008.
Public Appearances and Legacy
Tony Benn continued to be very active in public life. He had a one-man stage show and performed with folk singer Roy Bailey. Their show was voted 'Best Live Act' at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2003. He also spoke at the Glastonbury Festival every year, which became a tradition for many attendees.
In 2005, he presented a TV program about democracy. He argued that powerful global organizations were not accountable to ordinary people. In 2007, a BBC poll voted him the UK's "Political Hero."
Tony Benn was admitted to hospital in 2009 and 2012. He died at home on 14 March 2014, at the age of 88. His funeral was held at St Margaret's Church, Westminster. Many politicians from different parties praised him after his death.
Tony Benn was known for becoming more left-wing as he got older. He was a mentor to Jeremy Corbyn, who became Labour leader after Benn's death. His ideas and beliefs continue to influence many people in British politics.
Diaries and Biographies
Tony Benn kept detailed diaries throughout his life. Nine volumes of his diaries have been published. He also made audio recordings of his diaries, called The Benn Tapes, which were broadcast on BBC Radio 4.
Several books have been written about Tony Benn's life and politics. In 2008, American filmmaker Michael Moore dedicated his book Mike's Election Guide 2008 to Tony Benn. In 2019, a large collection of his speeches, diaries, letters, and recordings was given to the British Library.
Plaques
Tony Benn placed three special plaques inside the Houses of Parliament.
- Two plaques are dedicated to the suffragettes, who fought for women's right to vote.
- One plaque is for Emily Davison, a suffragette who died for the cause. It is in a broom cupboard where she reportedly hid during the 1911 census to show her address as the House of Commons.
In 2011, Tony Benn unveiled another plaque in Highbury, London. This plaque remembered the Peasants' Revolt of 1381.
Legacy
In Bristol, where Tony Benn was first a Member of Parliament, there are several tributes to him.
- A bust (a sculpture of his head and shoulders) was unveiled in Bristol's City Hall in 2005.
- In 2012, a building called Transport House was renamed Tony Benn House.
- He also appears on the back of the £B5 banknote of the Bristol pound, a local currency.
Tony Benn is remembered as a strong supporter of democratic socialism. He was known for becoming more left-wing during his career. His former boss, Harold Wilson, once joked that Benn was the only person he knew who "immatures with age," meaning his ideas became more radical over time.
He was a key mentor for Jeremy Corbyn, who became the leader of the Labour Party in 2015. Corbyn's colleague, John McDonnell, said that Corbyn and Benn discussed everything. Tony Benn's son, Hilary Benn, said his father would have been "thrilled" to see Corbyn become leader.
See also
- Labour Representation Committee (2004)
- Republicanism in the United Kingdom
- Socialist Campaign Group
