POLITICS
Is Gordon Brown a good leader?
I don’t think politics is about that really. We’ve had weeks and weeks of
discussion should Gordon go. My interest in politics is not who does it
but what they do. If you turn it all into who is doing what then it all
becomes like, who’s going to win the Oscar. So my main thing is to
concentrate on the issues and not the personalities. And when the
election comes people will be able to make up their own minds.
You’re something of a national institution – even to people with differing
political views.
My dad said to me when I was young, always say what you mean, mean
what you say, do what you said you’d do if you have a chance and don’t
attack individuals. That’s the principle I’ve tried to live by and if you do
try and live by that it’s possible to have disagreements with people and
they are still quite able to listen to you and treat you with respect. So
that’s the principle I’ve tried to live by and if what you say is true it’s a
product of that.
Will you ever retire?
Well I suppose one day I’ll leave home in a wooden box, but my interest
in politics is greater than it’s ever been because I’ve got 10 grandchildren
and I worry about the world they live in. I’ve just written a book called
Letters to my Grandchildren. It’s 36 letters from me to them, which look at
the problems they will face in light of my experience. It’s a wonderful
title but the trouble is I can’t think of anything I know that they don’t
know better than me.
Are you looking forward to coming to Cadogan Hall?
Well I tell you what I enjoy about it. I sit down, talk for 20 minutes on
some of the problems we’ve spoken about and then there’s an hour and
a half of open discussion. People say what they think and it’s riveting. I
learn so much from it and it’s an opportunity to discuss very
controversial questions in a calm, relaxed, quiet way without attacking
anybody or hyping it up. People appreciate that.
Tony Benn will be at Cadogan Hall, 5 Sloane Terrace, on October 12 at
7.30pm. Tickets £20. For more information or to book, call 020 7730
4500 or visit
www.cadoganhall.com
“The war was nothing to do with
weapons of mass destruction
anyway – Bush wanted the oil”
Tony Benn
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