Book description
1963 saw Labour's emergence from its 'wilderness years' in
Opposition, and the election of Harold Wilson following the unexpected
death of Hugh Gaitskell. In the first Wilson government of 1964 Benn
was made Postmaster General and became known as an innovator for his
introduction of the Giro and arguing for a radical broadcasting
policy. After Labour's landslide victory of 1966 he was appointed to
the Cabinet as Minister of Technology, but Labour's honeymoon came to
an abrupt end in 1967 with the introduction of devaluation, leading to
disilliusionment with the Government.
Tony Benn's account on his relations with the industrialists,
television and press chiefs, the Palace and the diplomatic world as
well as trade unionists, civil servants, and his Cabinet colleagues,
reveals the workings of our political and economic systems at the
highest level.
Out of the Wilderness is a unique political record of the
1960s, told by a man who served in five Labour administrations and who
today is one of the most experienced figures both in and out of the
House of Commons.
'No-one interested in the political influence of the Crown, the
intrigues of the civil service or the highly traditionalist character
of Harold Wilson can afford to ignore it' The Observer
Tony Benn has been the Labour Member of Parliament for
Chesterfield since March 1984. He was elected for the National
Executive Committee of the Labour Party in 1959, and was the Chairman
of the Party in 1971-2. 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. From 1974-9 he was
Secretary of State for Industry, later Secretary of State for Energy
and one-time President of the Council of Energy Ministers of the
European Community.
He is the author of eleven books including Arguments for
Socialism, Arguments for Democracy, Fighting Back and three
volumes of Diaries - Out of the Wilderness, Office Without Power
and Against the Tide. He holds four Honorary Doctorates
from British and American universities. He is married to Caroline and
they have four children and six grand-children.
