Book description
Tony Benn is the longest serving MP in the history of the Labour Party.
He left Parliament in 2001, after more than half a century in the House
of Commons, to devote more time to politics. This volume of his Diaries
describes and comments, in a refreshing and honest way, upon the events
of a momentous decade including two world wars, a change of government
in Britain and the emergence of New Labour, of which he makes clear he
is not a member. Tony Benn's account is a well documented, formidable
and principled critique of the New Labour Project, full of drama,
opinion, humour, anecdotes and sparkling pen-portraits of politicians on
both sides of the political divide. But his narrative is also broader
and more revealing about day-to-day political life, covering many
aspects normally disregarded by historians and lobby correspondents,
relating to his work in the constituency, including his advice
surgeries. This volume also offers far more of an insight into Tony
Benn's personal life, his thoughts about the future and his relationship
with his family, especially his remarkable wife Caroline, whose illness
and death overshadow these years. Tony Benn is a unique figure on the
British political landscape: a true democrat, a passionate socialist and
diarist without equal. With this volume, his published Diaries cover
British politics for over sixty years. It is edited, as are all others,
by Ruth Winstone. Tony Benn is the longest serving MP in the history
of the Labour Party. He entered the Commons in 1950 and with Ted Heath
held the record post-war timespan as an MP. He has held four cabinet
posts and has twice contended the leadership of the Labour Party, of
which he has also been Chairman. He has written over fifteen books. Ruth
Winstone has edited all volumes of Tony Benn's Diaries and several
biographies of political figures. She is associate editor of the
Times Guide to the House of Commons
; and currently works as a Library Clerk in the Commons.
