The Kintyre Forum

And now the last of the true Socialists is really gone. A great orator, a man of compassion and integrity and a politician who really cared for the ordinary man. Who today is of the same calibre? We won't see the likes of him again. I weep at what we have lost.

Certainly he was a political giant of his day, fantastic orator and a man who held to his principles. However... it could be argued he helped destroy the real Labour party, paving the way for New Labour and leading to what we have now, virtually 3 Tory parties..

Gizmo, are you seriously laying the blame for NuLabour at Benn's doorstep?


Ah, I see the right-wing hypocrites are all out praising the man tonight but just like Bob Crow, aren't they all safer when they're dead?

Gizmo,forgive me but I think you have it wrong about Mr Benn having a positive influence on the emergence of New Labour.Tony Benn was an implacable enemy of the creation of a "soft" left party. Going further back in time,it could be argued that Tony Benn,by standing against Denis Healey for the position of depty leader of the Labour party he prevented the country having a Labour government for the next two elections, at least.He was characterised as a odbball hard line socialist fanatic by the Tory press and unfortunately for Benn and, IMHO the country, many people believed it!

Apologies Gizmo,I have re-read your post and perhaps that was what you were alluding to?

Yes I have to agree that his real enemies were within his own party. It's strange to look back and see that Foot and Kinnock won.

Gizmo, are you seriously laying the blame for NuLabour at Benn's doorstep?

When Tony Benn challenged Denis Healey for the Deputy Leaders position it caused a split in the party that left them with no hope of winning an election. Shortly after several high profile members left the party and it lurched to the right to become "diet Tories", so although he wasnt the architect of New Labour his actions paved the way for Blair etc...