Radical statesman and Member of Parliament for over fifty years, Tony Benn is the pre-eminent diarist of his generation. He held numerous offices in his long carrer as a Labour MP including Postmaster General, Chairman of the Party's National Executive Committee, Minister of Industry, His political activity continued after 'retirement' in 2014 when he was President of the Stop the War Coalition. Melissa Benn is a journalist, novelist and activist. She has written for the Guardian, New Statesman and London Review of Books, among many others. Her books on education include School Wars and Life Lessons and she has played a prominent role in several campaigns including Comprehensive Future and the Private Education Policy Forum. A regular speaker and broadcaster, she is currently a writing fellow at Lucy Cavendish, Cambridge, and Visiting Professor in Education, Psychology and Language at York St John.
One of the most mesmerising and divisive figures in the mainstream of postwar British politics. An establishment insider who became a rebellious leftwing outsider, a cabinet minister turned street protester and reviled prophet of capitalism's demise, he nonetheless managed in old age to become something of a national treasure -- Michael White, <i>Guardian</i> An irreplaceable giant of the labour movement and a courageous fighter for socialism and peace -- Owen Jones, author of <i>This Land</i> He achieved the sort of popular acclaim most politicians can only dream of - simply by sticking to his principles -- Mark Steel, comedian A true political warrior who fought for what he believed - right up to the very end -- John Major, former UK prime minister Eye-opening * The Journalist * If you have time for only one book on Benn, I recommend this work. -- Francis Beckett * Literary Review *