by lochend » Sat Mar 15, 2014 11:14 pm
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!