political commentator * author * publisher * bookseller * radio presenter * blogger * Conservative candidate * former lobbyist * Jack Russell owner * West Ham United fanatic * Email iain AT iaindale DOT com
Monday, January 05, 2009
Interviewing Tony Benn
This afternoon I will be interviewing Tony Benn for the next issue of Total Politics. It's another one of my "in conversation" style interviews, where the answers are printed verbatim. If you were me, and asking the question, what would you ask him?
Does Tony believe that Jim Callaghan or Gordon Brown is correct in believing that we can spend our way out of a recession?
Jim Callaghan believed that "We used to think that you could spend your way out of a recession and increase employment by cutting taxes and boosting government spending. I tell you in all candour that that option no longer exists, and in so far as it ever did exist, it only worked on each occasion since the war by injecting a bigger dose of inflation into the economy, followed by a higher level of unemployment as the next step".
I did an interview with him ages ago for my student paper (good grief that must be 13 years ago then). He was my MP and I was Chairman of the Conservative Party in Chesterfield.
Given the very words Tony Benn conjure up such different emotions depending on who you ask and given how long he has been active in politics, I asked him how would he like to be rembered? I'd be interested if time has changed his perspective.
Does he believe that GB really thought he'd "put an end to boom and bust"?
His opinions on British energy policy.
Was the Labour Party ever a radical party of government? When will radicalism return to British politics? Is he content? angry? resigned? about the state of left-wing politics in Britain?
How about asking Tony about the fact that he has been so far outside the mainstream of the Labour Party for 30 years now, why is he still a member and wouldn't he and the party be better served by him joining one of the ultra left sectlets that fawns over his every utterance like the Labour Party ceased to do when he attempted to destroy us in the early 80s for his own pride.
Does Tony think that that the economic boom Labour enjoyed during Tony Blair's leadership was "down to luck rather than management". I.e. nothing to do with his Chancellor one Gordon Brown....
Nothing personal Iain, but I find "in conversation"-style interviews very uninspiring to read and they smack of lazy journalism. Surely the writer's job is to bash the prose into a readable shape?
Can you ask him why he still supports the Labour party when it stands for none of the things he does?
Re: Tony's famous five questions to ask people who have power. Given that his fifth question is, "How do we get rid of you?", what should the country's response be if the answer is as the current administration? i.e. "You can't get rid of us. Now go away."
given how he is opposed to the heriditory principle... would his son and grand-daughter both be either an MP or a Prospective Candidate if their surname wasnt Benn?
Can Mr Benn please explain why he and his friends are never seen marching or protesting against the Mugabe Regime which has killed thousands? Is it because America is not involved?
You once said you were proud to have nationalised the steel-making and ship-building industries of the UK. Do you think we would still have ship-building and steel-making industries if you had left well alone?
Ask him to justify the comment he made in his most recent diaries, before 2005 but after many years of IRA atrocities, that Britian had not been the subject of a terroritst attack since the Libyan Embassy seige.
Iain, ask him if he thinks it is right that his Son Hillary (as Environmental minister) managed to get a section of the coastline around the Benn's family home protected from erosion, whilst at the same time telling all those other unfortunates with houses about to tip into the North Sea that 'nature would have to be allowed to take its course'....
Ask him whether, given his well known opposition to the hereditary principle, he thinks it ironic that yet another generation of Benns wants to get into parliament?
He's 83. Ask him if he is against inherited wealth. Ask him if he has set up trust funds for his children and grandchildren or when he dies will they pay the full 40 per cent inheritance tax? Or perhaps he intends to give all his money away to charity?
Please ask him whether, after 11 years of economic mismanagement I can get a refund.
Remind him that there are quite a few who will make life difficult for the government and authorities over the coming months and, if necessary, years. They have wasted billions on useless and expensive 'initiatives'. All the while tinkering with society as if it is their plaything. I have yet to see a return on my investment.
1. Does he have any teensy misgivings about the Left's alliance with gay-, women-, Jew- and democracy-hating Islamists against 'Western' foreign policy?
2. What mistakes does he think he's made over his career?
3. Does he genuinely think that Britain would be economically stronger today if Thatcher had never come to power?
Ask him how on earth you can restore your liberal credentials having given Israel permission and indeed encouragement to kill as many Palestinians as they wish to kill ...
What does Tony Benn think of the idea of Britain being fragmented by the SNP?
Does he share George Galloway's support of extremist organizations in the name of humanitarianism?
And, with all due respect (a great deal), I'm very interested to know if he still holds republican views; given his criticism of the United States, does he feel confident that a US-style democracy would benefit the UK?
Has he always been a revisionist cnut?
ReplyDeleteDoes Tony believe that Jim Callaghan or Gordon Brown is correct in believing that we can spend our way out of a recession?
ReplyDeleteJim Callaghan believed that "We used to think that you could spend your way out of a recession and increase employment by cutting taxes and boosting government spending. I tell you in all candour that that option no longer exists, and in so far as it ever did exist, it only worked on each occasion since the war by injecting a bigger dose of inflation into the economy, followed by a higher level of unemployment as the next step".
Gordon Brown clearly believes the opposite.
I did an interview with him ages ago for my student paper (good grief that must be 13 years ago then). He was my MP and I was Chairman of the Conservative Party in Chesterfield.
ReplyDeleteGiven the very words Tony Benn conjure up such different emotions depending on who you ask and given how long he has been active in politics, I asked him how would he like to be rembered? I'd be interested if time has changed his perspective.
Does he believe that GB really thought he'd "put an end to boom and bust"?
ReplyDeleteHis opinions on British energy policy.
Was the Labour Party ever a radical party of government? When will radicalism return to British politics? Is he content? angry? resigned? about the state of left-wing politics in Britain?
Why are all socialists such hypocrites?
ReplyDeleteHow about asking Tony about the fact that he has been so far outside the mainstream of the Labour Party for 30 years now, why is he still a member and wouldn't he and the party be better served by him joining one of the ultra left sectlets that fawns over his every utterance like the Labour Party ceased to do when he attempted to destroy us in the early 80s for his own pride.
ReplyDeleteDoes Tony think that that the economic boom Labour enjoyed during Tony Blair's leadership was "down to luck rather than management". I.e. nothing to do with his Chancellor one Gordon Brown....
ReplyDeleteDoes he regret being a persistent apologist for sectarian terror in Northern Ireland during 30 years of violence?
ReplyDeleteNothing personal Iain, but I find "in conversation"-style interviews very uninspiring to read and they smack of lazy journalism. Surely the writer's job is to bash the prose into a readable shape?
ReplyDeleteCan you ask him why he still supports the Labour party when it stands for none of the things he does?
Re: Tony's famous five questions to ask people who have power. Given that his fifth question is, "How do we get rid of you?", what should the country's response be if the answer is as the current administration? i.e. "You can't get rid of us. Now go away."
ReplyDeleteDoes he think the UK would be better under a Tory or Labour government if Euro entry was part of Labour's future agenda?
ReplyDeletegiven how he is opposed to the heriditory principle... would his son and grand-daughter both be either an MP or a Prospective Candidate if their surname wasnt Benn?
ReplyDeleteCan Mr Benn please explain why he and his friends are never seen marching or protesting against the Mugabe Regime which has killed thousands? Is it because America is not involved?
ReplyDeleteWhy bother? Why pander to his ego?
ReplyDeleteTony,
ReplyDeleteYou once said you were proud to have nationalised the steel-making and ship-building industries of the UK. Do you think we would still have ship-building and steel-making industries if you had left well alone?
WV = pswine - you couldn't make it up!
Why not open the bowling with a googly?
ReplyDeleteMr Benn: we come from opposite ends of the political spectrum, what do you think we might agree about?
Ask him to justify the comment he made in his most recent diaries, before 2005 but after many years of IRA atrocities, that Britian had not been the subject of a terroritst attack since the Libyan Embassy seige.
ReplyDeleteDear Viscount Stansgate, how come the Labour party is more venal, self-serving and fascist than ever, yet you still support them?
ReplyDeleteIs it time to dust off the Commonwealth of Britain Bill and federalise the UK?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteYorker rather than googly -
ReplyDeleteDo you think you or Hilary will achieve most senior position in the Labour Party?
& why?
Word verif ACTERS - most appropriate
"Have you finally realised that Socialism, as in enforced collectivisation, is a bankrupt and inhuman ideology?"
ReplyDeleteIain, ask him if he thinks it is right that his Son Hillary (as Environmental minister) managed to get a section of the coastline around the Benn's family home protected from erosion, whilst at the same time telling all those other unfortunates with houses about to tip into the North Sea that 'nature would have to be allowed to take its course'....
ReplyDeleteWhat does he think of owls?
ReplyDeleteDEFO ask him this and let me know.
Ask him whether, given his well known opposition to the hereditary principle, he thinks it ironic that yet another generation of Benns wants to get into parliament?
ReplyDeleteI hope you're going to ask him if he's happy to be labelled as one of Hamas's Useful Idiots.
ReplyDeleteHe's 83. Ask him if he is against inherited wealth. Ask him if he has set up trust funds for his children and grandchildren or when he dies will they pay the full 40 per cent inheritance tax? Or perhaps he intends to give all his money away to charity?
ReplyDeletePlease ask him whether, after 11 years of economic mismanagement I can get a refund.
ReplyDeleteRemind him that there are quite a few who will make life difficult for the government and authorities over the coming months and, if necessary, years. They have wasted billions on useless and expensive 'initiatives'. All the while tinkering with society as if it is their plaything. I have yet to see a return on my investment.
They can all go hang.
Beyond providing a caricature of the hard left, what do you feel you have contributed to politics?
ReplyDeleteI hope you remember to thank him for everything he has done for your party over the years.
ReplyDeleteWhether there's actually anything the government could do todrive him out of the Labour Party.
ReplyDeleteWhat was his favourite destination when he went through 'the door that always led to adventure' in the fancy dress shop?
ReplyDelete1. Does he have any teensy misgivings about the Left's alliance with gay-, women-, Jew- and democracy-hating Islamists against 'Western' foreign policy?
ReplyDelete2. What mistakes does he think he's made over his career?
3. Does he genuinely think that Britain would be economically stronger today if Thatcher had never come to power?
can a 19 year old have sufficient life experience to fully attend to their constituents' issues?
ReplyDeleteAsk him how on earth you can restore your liberal credentials having given Israel permission and indeed encouragement to kill as many Palestinians as they wish to kill ...
ReplyDeleteWow, what a spectacularly guffy stinky question from the GuFster.
ReplyDeleteTony's line are having to earn their place in parliament in elections. Poor Emily seems to have a terrible hill to climb.
That is thanks to his renouncing his hereditory title.
You could start by asking him how it feels to have been wrong on just about everything.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I can't for the life of me work out why it is that old frauds like benn continue to be indulged.
Ask him about this from Israel
ReplyDeleteWhat does Tony Benn think of the idea of Britain being fragmented by the SNP?
ReplyDeleteDoes he share George Galloway's support of extremist organizations in the name of humanitarianism?
And, with all due respect (a great deal), I'm very interested to know if he still holds republican views; given his criticism of the United States, does he feel confident that a US-style democracy would benefit the UK?
Thanks Iain!
Ask him how anyone can live so long and be so stupid.
ReplyDeleteWould a written constitution save us from Nu Lab's tyranny, and quest to relive all of Orwell's nightmares?
ReplyDeleteAs an avowed socialist is he uncomfortable with his own wealth and will he be passing any of it to his children?
ReplyDelete