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Tony Benn

Tony Benn Quotes

Former Member of the European Parliament

Tony Benn was a prominent British politician who served as a Member of the European Parliament for over 50 years. He was a key figure in the Labour Party and held various ministerial positions in the government. Benn was known for his radical left-wing views and his commitment to social justice and equality.

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Famous Tony Benn Quotes

“The 1973 Labour Conference will have before it the most radical programme the Party has prepared since 1945.”

Party Prepared Radical Labour Conferences Programmes

Author:Tony Benn

“The general election of 1983 has produced one important result that has passed virtually without comment in the media. It is that, for the first time since 1945, a political party with an openly socialist policy has received the support of over eight and a half million people. This is a remarkable development by any standards and it deserves some analysis ... the 1983 Labour manifesto commanded the loyalty of millions of voters and a democratic socialist bridge-head in public understanding and support can be made.”

“I've been a member of the Labour Party sixty five years, and I remain in it, but I think it's all about campaigning for justice and peace, and if you do that, you get a lot of support.”

Ifs Thinking Years Justice Party Support Five Members Five Years Labour Sixty Peace And Justice Labour Party Campaigning

Author:Tony Benn

“When Blair was elected leader of the Labour Party, he said, "New Labour is a new political party" - that was the phrase he used, and I'm so glad he said it because he set up his own party and I'm not a member of it.”

Political Party Leader Glad Labour Political Parties

Author:Tony Benn

“The quickest way to get to the top in society probably is to be a Blair Babe now. And then all of a sudden you find you're invited to parties. I don't want to be cynical, because I'm not. But I've seen it happen to so many people who move from the left to the right so damn quickly.”

People Moving Party Cynical Now And Then

Author:Tony Benn

“We are paying a heavy political price for 20 years in which, as a party, we have played down our criticism of capitalism and soft-peddled our advocacy of socialism”

Years Political Politics Party Capitalism Criticism Heavy Socialism Advocacy

Author:Tony Benn

“It would be as unthinkable to try to construct the Labour Party without Marx as it would to be to establish university faculties of astronomy,anthropology or psychology without permitting the study of Copernicus, Darwin or Freud, and still expect such faculties to be taken seriously”

Trying Stills Would Be Politics Party Study Taken Psychology University Astronomy Labour Faculty Constructs Anthropology Unthinkable Labour Party Copernicus

Author:Tony Benn

“I did not enter the Labour Party 47 years ago to have our manifesto written by Dr Mori, Dr Gallup and Mr Harris”

Years Politics Party Written Years Ago Labour Drs Labour Party Manifestos

Author:Tony Benn

“I think the truth is that the Labour Party isn't believed any more because people suspect it will say anything to get votes. The rebuilding of some radical alternatives to Thatcherism - and by that I mean all-party Thatcherism - will require us to do some very difficult things”

People Thinking Mean Politics Difficult Party Truth Is Vote Radical Alternatives Labour Suspects Say Anything Difficult Things Rebuilding Labour Party

Book:The end of an era: diaries, 1980-90

Source: The end of an era: diaries, 1980-90

“The Labour party has never been a socialist party, although there have always been socialists in it - a bit like Christians in the Church of England.”

Christian Bits Church Party England Labour Socialist Labour Party Church Of England Socialist Party

Author:Tony Benn

“The Tory party is the enemy of democracy.”

Party Enemy Democracy

Author:Tony Benn

About the Author

Born: April 3, 1925
Died: March 14, 2014
Known for: Former Member of the European Parliament
Quotes: 151

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Books & Sources

Out of the Wilderness: Diaries, 1963-67Related source material

SpeechesRelated source material

Arguments for socialismRelated source material

Out of the Wilderness: Diaries 1963-67Related source material

The Best of BennRelated source material

The end of an era: diaries, 1980-90Related source material

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