Tony Benn.

[Red Light]

I've heard him talking (on TV and Radio) many times and after each speech have been impressed and convinced he was correct but in almost every case, after giving it some further thought the next day, realised that he was talking complete and utter drivel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!

Some of his legacies include creating British Leyland (definitely a bad idea!) and supporting Michael Foot to become leader of the Labour Party (a very very bad idea that kept them unelectable for some years). He was also an ardent anti-European. In fact in many ways you could think that the Westminster School and Oxford educated Viscount Stansgate was a very effective double agent for the Tory party .

If you look back over his legacy of things he had achieved, especially when in government, and the things he didn't achieve its not very impressive and although he is now well liked he has never been well supported when it came to party elections or even in national elections - having to be given a safe Labour seat when boundary changes lost him his Bristol seat.

 

[endoman]

He bought me a pint once, I like politicians who speak their minds, few of them about, Benn and Skinner do that.

 

[Red Light]

He bought me a pint once, I like politicians who speak their minds, few of them about, Benn and Skinner do that.

If they ever get to positions of significant influence the medya slaughters them for speaking their minds. Benn and Skinner they tolerate and use as comic interludes. Just look at the depth of analysis by the pundits that goes into minor nuances of wording in what politicians say or write. Boris is about the only one that seems to get away with it and that's because he's created this great uncertainty in the medya as to whether he's being a buffoon, joking or being serious and they don't want to be made to look silly by choosing the wrong one.