Book description
Tony Benn's final instalment of diaries centres on a decade which saw
the disintegration of Eastern Europe, an unprecedented assault on the
labour movement at home, the fall of Margaret Thatcher and the tragic
war in the Gulf. It is a period which marks the peak of Tony Benn's
reputation as a brilliant parliamentarian. This final volume of diaries
gives us insight into an era of extraordinary international and domestic
political life making it one of the most important political writings of
our time.
Tony Benn has been the labour Member of Parliament for Chesterfield
since March 1984, and was MP for Bristol South-East from 1950 to 1983.
He was elected to the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party
in 1959, and was Chairman of the Party in 1971/72. He has been a
Cabinet Minister in every Labour Government since 1964, holding the
positions of Postmaster General, Minister of Technology and Minister
of Power, Secretary of State for Industry, Secretary of State for
Energy one-time President of the Council of Energy Ministers of the
European Community. He contested the leadership of the Labour Party in
1976 and in 1988.
He is the author of thirteen previous books, including Arguments
for Democracy and Fighting Back.
He is married to Caroline and they have four children and seven grandchildren.
The End of An Era, like the previous four volumes of diaries,
was edited by Ruth Winstone.
