Friday, 15 October 2010

Why Tony Benn is vital to politics in 2010

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/aug/04/tony-benn-coalition-cuts-campaign

Tony Benn has always been my favourite living politician, and at 85, he now seems to be working harder than ever.

His message has never changed in my lifetime, and I can't ever remember hearing him saying anything I didn't agree with.

It fills me with pride to hear him doing exactly what he has always done, still defending the rights of workers and the dispossessed.

 ""We reject this malicious vandalism and resolve to campaign for a radical alternative, with the level of determination shown by trade unionists and social movements in Greece and other European countries."


We need socialism more today than we have for a long time. The coalition have too many policies that simply must be opposed.

26 comments:

  1. Sue,

    I did not know you were a Bennite, I have simila affections to him. He was a very good voice for Irish people, especially when there was so much anti-Irish sentiment in England. I will always be grateful to him for that.

    :) :)

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  2. Good old Tony my favourite too, Sue, such a clever man. He should have led our party. And still to be speaking out intelligently at 85, (my Dad no longer alive, but they were the same age) is marvellous. Where is the new generation now Speak out ED!

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  3. the Tories and right wing press knew he was a real threat to them, that is why they painted him as an extremist in the press. He always made so much sense to me.
    I voted for Hilary to lead the party when we had the Brown election.

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  4. Tony has just patented his latest invention, it's a fold-away seat on the back of a suitcase, very natty. At 85 he is an inspiration. :-)

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  5. Ken, just think him and Lady T at the same age could have had something special....

    who would their kid have most been like? a Clegg type character I reckon...

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  6. lol, Eoin, I must have the most bizarre mix possible of top 5 Labour Politicans.

    Nye
    Clem
    Benn
    Blair
    Mandleson

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  7. Did you realise that the news on Mrs T's 85th birthday was full of celebrating miner's? Some irony there!

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  8. Pam - I heard that on Twitter, I roared with laughter. It was Kevin MacGuire from the Mirror, but he did follow it up with best wishes on her birthday

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  9. Sue,

    Yes I quite agree... that sounds like a five bean chilli

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  10. Eoin - Lol

    How on earth would one go about doing a PHD?

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  11. Sue,

    application deadline is March 2010 with most Unis. these days you apply online. Email a professor/doctor with a specialism in the area you are interested. Tell them you are interested in a pHd. they'll phone you for a chat. Once your signed up with a uni.. they have a phenomenal amount of electronically digitised research that you will then have at your fingertips (JSTOR) is a great example of that. You then spend a 2 years researching (using various methodologies including questionaires sampling etc) the final year you spend writing an 80,000 word document and hey presto you are a Doctor.

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  12. Dr Marsh has a nice ring, Eoin.
    Do you pay fees?

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  13. Ha! Snap Pam. 2 women immediately thinking about the household budget, lol

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  14. oh fees

    £1700 p.a. part itme paid over four installemnts of £425

    or £3400 fulltime.

    the former you can sumbit after 4 years, the latter 3.

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  15. Ah, I think I might see a fly in the ointment...

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  16. Sue,

    There are various grants for people with special issues such as health conflcits.. Disabled Learning Allowance or something to that affect...

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  17. @Sue/ Éoin.......If you Google, Nigerian PHD, they will do you one for a fraction of the rip off fees charged here. I've got six. :-)

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  18. Ken - Ha, do you keep them in the Bolly fridge ;)

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  19. Ian Paisley bought his for $250

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  20. @Sue........Yeh, I also keep the cheque for $20,000,000 in there, same chap, so charming....! :-)

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  21. @Éoin......Sounds more like a Ryan Air ticket. :-)

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  22. Ken,

    don't talk to me... (rhetorical) I am due to go to Prague on 11/11 (thought i'd escape that imperialist minutes silence you blues have going on- joking).. its an annual thing.. got an email from Ryanair said they had cancelled the flight- completely out of the blue. grrr... I'd marry Paisley before Michael o' Leary any day

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  23. @Éoin....... Don't worry,the Czechs are a lost cause for you, they won't revert to communism no matter how persuasive you might be. By the way, if you marry The Paisley, I'll pay for the service.....! :-)

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  24. @Sue.......I just clicked on your photo, how on earth did you persuade Bollinger to hook you up to a drip, where is the barrel located ? I think we should be told ! :-)

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  25. He was my favorite mp as well and his retirement is sadly missed by many in this country

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