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?

On Today With Tony Benn

Tomorrow morning at 8.20am I will be debating with Tony Benn on Radio 4's Today programme. We'll be discussing the merits (or otherwise) of Speakers' Corner. Apparently there's going to be a new one in Nottingham.

I hope I won't be too knackered and incoherent after tonight's London University Conservatives Ball!

The Old Ones Are the Best

Tony Benn is reported in the Telegraph Spy column as telling LBC Radio: "I got a death threat the other day. I haven't had one of those for years and I was so chuffed that someone thought I was still dangerous." Cue chuckles. The only trouble is that Benn has been coming out with the line for several years. It's a good one and always goes down well with an audience. And he's not alone in wheeling out tried and tested laugh lines. Most politicians do it. I remember Michael Portillo got into trouble several years ago when he told the exact same jokes at a dinner which he had told at the same dinner a few years before. Ann Widdecombe has her "Christian principles joke", David Davis has his "diamond ring joke", and I have my "Ann Widdecombe's knickers" joke. And if you haven't heard me tell that one before, I can guarantee you will, if you come to an event I am speaking at!