Politics
think never will again meet a man who’s later hanged,” says Benn.
“I’m against capital punishment and he was a brutal dictator no
question, but I ask myself, supposing we’d invaded South Africa
He gave up his peerage, tried to and thought we could end apartheid and supposing Mandela had
remove the Queen’s head from the
won and hanged the white leaders, there would have been
bloodshed from that day to this. That’s not the way forward. I’m a
stamp, supported Arthur Scargill and
believer in truth and reconciliation – the truth will make
the miners’ strike and was named the
reconciliation possible.”
Benn argued that the World Bank, the International Monetary
UK’s political hero in a TV survey.
Fund, the World Trade Organisation and the European
Commision are unelected and therefore unaccountable bodies on
Ahead of his talk at Cadogan Hall,
a Channel 5 programme in 2005. Yet, he said, they have a growing
Tony Benn speaks to Kate White
power to dictate to elected governments – and privatisation and
profit are their main driving forces regardless of social cost.
“Increasingly any government, and certainly I experienced it when
I was there, feels it is under pressure to do what international
capital wants. So it’s true to say that power is moving back from the
ballot to the wallet.” Four years later, in light of the banking crisis
feared could lead to unrest. “When there were elections in Iran, and recession, it seems all the more apt. “We should be much
the British press took the view that the demonstrators were right tougher on the bankers in terms of bonuses,” he says.
and Ahmadinejad was wrong. What they’ll do this time I don’t It is unlikely that Benn, 84, will ever retire. “I suppose one day
know, but we don’t live in a world where Britain can occupy other I’ll leave home in a wooden box, but my interest in politics is
countries because they don’t like their policies. That’s an illusion.” greater than it’s ever been because I’ve got 10 grandchildren and I
We will have to talk to the Taliban, he says. Can you negotiate worry about the world they live in.” He is “very proud” of his 18-
with terrorists? “Well very simply, yes. The IRA bombed London year-old granddaughter Emily, who has been selected to contest
and how did we end it? We talked to Gerry Adams, who was in the Conservative seat of East Worthing and Shoreham in the next
prison as a terrorist. When Mandela was in prison for life, Mrs general election. She is the UK’s youngest ever prospective
Thatcher said he was a terrorist and the South Africans forced the parliamentary candidate and the fifth generation of Benns to enter
government to talk to him and brought peace. All the people we the world of politics.
locked up when we had an empire ended up having tea with the At Cadogan Hall, Benn will give a short talk followed by an hour
Queen as heads of Commonwealth countries.” and a half of open discussion. “People say what they think and it’s
Benn famously interviewed Saddam Hussein just before the Iraq riveting. I learn so much from it and it’s a chance to discuss very
war. “I asked him, do you have any weapons of mass destruction? controversial questions in a calm, relaxed way without attacking
And he said no. I didn’t know whether to believe him or not but it anybody or hyping it up. People appreciate that.”
turns out he was telling me the truth – he didn’t. I asked, do you Belgravia, of course, is probably quite a right-wing place. “Oh
have links with Al Qaeda? And he said no. Well I knew that was yes. Well you can disagree with someone without getting angry.
true because Bin Laden hated Saddam because Saddam was a And also, I think there’s a broad consensus of opinion about a lot
secularist. There were churches and synagogues in Iraq under of things that doesn’t get much coverage.”
Saddam. When I came home I was denounced for not being
tougher on him – but in a sense what he said was correct. So that’s
why I went and I’m glad I did. But then the war was nothing to do October 12, 7.30pm, Cadogan Hall, 5 Sloane Terrace.
with weapons of mass destruction anyway – Bush wanted the oil.” Tickets £20. For more information or to book,
Three years later, Saddam was hanged. “I’ve never before and I call 020 7730 4500 or visit www.cadoganhall.com
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