That old leftie, Tony Benn

[Niggle]

Summed up, for me, everything that's wrong with the current government on the Today programme this morning:

"Politics becomes a matter of management, and people now feel they're not being represented they're being managed, and they therefore are switched off by the type of management offered to them by political leaders"

Discuss

Edited 'cos I can't spell after that much beer

>>> Edited by Niggle on Friday 20th December 22:29

[ALM]

I'd say I agree with that statment.

All to often nowadays I feel that my opinions on various political issues is not represented by any of the 3 main parties. At times I feel like the're only there to tax me to the hilt and work me like dog !

Bring on a party for the motorist !

[Graham]

I summed it up in a conversation with someone the other day


" they are only interested in Governing the people not governing for the people"

[nonegreen]

As usual Mr Bennis greatatposing questions andvery poor at providing solutions.

[rpguk]

Graham said: I summed it up in a conversation with someone the other day


" they are only interested in Governing the people not governing for the people"

The next winston churchill???

Great words, and so true

BTW Tony Benn is a great public speaker, I'll be the first to say that I agree with very few of his views but it can't be denied that he is very entertaining, if you do ever get a chance to see him do take it up.

Edited to say - god I sound old!


>> Edited by rpguk on Saturday 21st December 12:30

[bob the planner]

nonegreen said: As usual Mr Benn is great at posing questions and very poor at providing solutions.

Sounds like most MPs IMHO. When are we going to get a bunch who can
a) work out and agree a solution
b) implement it
c) push the implementation through to completion ?

Bob

[mondeoman]

The infrastructure does need managing, but the people need ........


less bloody Government interference!

Sack the lot and start again.

Mindyou, I sent an email to that New Party for Britain bunch and haven't had even an automatic reply ..... ho hum. out with the old, in with the new - oooh look, just the same as the old

:sadandresignedtobritainbecomingcrap:

[swilly]

Tony Benn, whilst previously having been a loony leftie, does appear in todays climate to be a bit of a sensible guy, in that he appears to talk from his mouth, appears to believe what he is saying, and doesn't continually begin sentences like :smugcondescendingvoice:"We are aaaabsolutely committed......" or :serioussteelystare:"We are absolutely clear about this.....".

Makes a change from the usual plastic-android tw*ts in government.

As for the government and their carry on, they act as every typical idealistic-trendy-leftie-dogooders in that they belive they and only they can cure the ills of the country and belive they have to micro-manage every aspect of our lives. Devolve power to county councils and let the communities determine how they wish to live their lives.

[ahonen]

"Politics becomes a matter of management, and people now feel they're not being represented they're being managed, and they therefore are switched off by the type of management offered to them by political leaders"

Yep, I heard that on Today as I was going to work and agree completely. I'm sick of the "don't worry your pretty little heads about it" attitude that (mainly Labia) politicians have towards the public. They are our servants and it would be refreshing if one or two of them remembered that.

[HarryW]

rpguk said:
..
BTW Tony Benn is a great public speaker, I'll be the first to say that I agree with very few of his views but it can't be denied that he is very entertaining, if you do ever get a chance to see him do take it up.
...

Have to agree with the TB sentiment . He also IMHO has more principles than the rest of new labia put together, you may not necessarily agree with what he's saying but you can't deny he is consistant and actually believes in what he says. Some of it may even be original thought, which definately is uncharted waters for the new lot .

Harry

PS Wasn't he the 'secretary of somewhat' that pushed through Concorde in the 60/70's, even though it was monsterously over budget, if so

[clanger]

In my student days remember going to a meeting to heckle Tone - totally captivated by his public speaking - took part in standing ovation at end. What he said was a load of b......., but he had a knack of putting his arguments over so convincingly, especially to naive students.

As well as Concorde Tone presided over the UK expansion of the nuclear power industry. Think he was Sec of State for industry.