I had the privilege of shaking his hand when he was invited by the local Labour Party in Melksham to speak at the Assembly Hall in the 1980s. He was a brilliant speaker and he introduced the then, recently elected Member of Parliament for Islington North; Jeremy Corbyn predicting that he would become the leader of the Labour Party.
I met Tony Benn in 1993 whilst at Ruskin College. What a beautiful man. My great grandfather started the first T@G union at Avon Rubber in Melksham in 1936 after 10 years of struggle for recognition.
I've got tears watching this in 2022 with the Conservatives , alone, electing the next PM (Sunak or Truss) and Keir Starmer's Labour Party sacking their MP's for expressing solidarity with striking RMT workers whilst commodity inflation is running at 10%. Tony Benn will always give me hope - though I suspect Starmer would have found a way to expel him from the party if he were still alive.
I love this man. I really do. He got so emotional after about halfway, everything he said was true. I never usually say that about any politician. He is what Britain need. We need him back in politics, back fighting the super rich and the Tories.
Had the privilege of meeting him underground when he visited Cwm Colliery, Beddau in South Wales back in the 1980s. Had a brief chat with him as he was going through the coalface and found him a true gentleman.
I agree with all that Tony has said, I have been telling people since I was 18 (1992) that the “Right to buy” was poised to tie people to debt so they couldn’t strike, One point about privatisation though, is that it divorces responsibility from the government. British rail in its last year (1994) in operation as a complete public entity it received £1 Billion in public subsidy, the first year of total private ownership (1996) it received £6 Billion. That’s value!
I can remember the 1980s very well under Thatcher and the greed soceity. Back then Benn was classed as a true lefty. along with Foot and Skinner. How amazing now 30 years on people now have so much time and respect for this man. The fact is he has always told the truth as did Scargill.
Thanks for posting this! I suddenly realized I hadn't watched this speech in a few years and the only one wasn't anywhere to be found. If you like this, I suggest you look up Tony Benn Will and Testament. It's a great movie about Tony, starring Tony.
Finally.. a man who has spoken words that have given me HOPE.. something I was very close in danger of losing.... Thankyou for educating me,and also inspiring me that there IS a future .
This great man was a friend my late uncle who was in exile and leader of the Revolutionary Council of the ANC and President of the anti-apartheid movement in the 1960s and 1970s. I espouse socialist ideas because of this man and George Galloway. Comrade Benn was a powerful and forceful speaker. He was really the leader of the constituentsvof the rejected
Why, why, why can't we have sane people like Tony Benn in power?? Why can't our politicians listen to the people that elect them rather than the big money of the banks and mining companies?
Few speeches have brought me to tears. This is one of them. Another is Stephen Fry’s speech against the Catholic Church, and another you could guess, because it’s brought all of us to tears at some point, MLK jr.’s ‘I have a dream’
I would trade all the U.S. Presidents of my lifetime, just to have a political situation in which someone like Tony Benn could form a government here. We be in so much better shape.
We have to do it take the baton ourselves. In our own lives be aware, participate and be the best that we can be. I feel powerless, but I should try living in the same spirit as Tony Benn.
"The restoration of power to those who've always controlled the world and the land" This speech should be in place of the Queens(kings) speech each Christmas! But I guess that would be educating people in the wrong way.
I've seen towns that do stupid things for money. They build 50 buildings of poor-quality low-income housing, financed with revenue bonds, then bring in Section-8 tennants to fill the buildings. What they end up with is lots of REVENUE, and 50,000 people flooding the town's overtaxed police force, fire dept, schools, and hospitals. Worse, the revenue from the subsidized rents doesn't pay for all the cops/nurses/teachers that are needed now.
A fine Statesman , and great orator ,Gosh when you look at the rabble we have today , shows you how politicians have declined .Honourable , they call themselves, I don’t think so , they are anything but
No man has ever told so much truth , n laymens terms, like Tony does.. truth , decentcy , My god why are we so blind as not to see what is going on in this country, where the pound rules the people.. and not the people owning the pound.. put this country on a war footing for peace !, build the services we need,., why cant we all just pull together , and do this together,.surely when everybody pulls together there is no telling what great things this nation can achieve !..
Well arguing against military ventures isn't an argument against taxation in general - it's there to fund the provision of infrastructure and stability and protection, to maintain a strong fertile base for productive activity, and to promote economic activity. Pointing to one specific aspect you disagree with isn't making an argument for the whole thing to be thrown out
Buckspur So you were there? I was, I must say I remember things a little differently. The country was much worse during the 80's - except for the minority of course. The only thing that kept the balance of payments then were the oil receipts. For my family, most of my friends, their living standards dropped from the 70's. Now they work 2X times as long for less money, if they still have a job. Unlike their Executives of course. In the 70's it was a lot easier to get work, I know I did
@AtheistHumanist Just because the messages are simple doesn't make them any less true. Judge the messages on their truth (or lack thereof), rather than out of a desire for complexity.
Then complain about the government spending public money on military ventures and imperialisation, not the fact that public money is collected for public goods
The socialists have always been weak. Tony Benn didn't push for a law that limited how much money you could borrow for a single-home mortgage. I remember London in the early 1990's. So many middle-class families had bought huge homes with huge loans that could never be paid back. The people that owned tiny row houses lucked out. Those little row houses are now selling for millions.
Trust me I understand, I however disagree. Let me suggest this definiton of slavery to you: Slavery is stealing 100% of one's labor and earnings. Or, the more coercion you have in a society, the closer the coerced are to being slaves. Do you agree with that? I am not saying your definiton is wrong by the way, I'm just offering ulternatives.
you are wrong! "stealing" has nothing to do with where the money goes or what it goes to! stealing is taking money coercively, which is the case in taxation! If you think I want my money to go and kill innocent civilians in third world countries, and you think that is a "service", then something is wrong with you. I want very few selected services from the government that I am willing to pay for them in voluntarily taxation where stealing would be institutionalized.
Ahhh poor Tony. yet more Holland Park based champagne socialism. Hey Tony how is that capitalism treating your pension portfolio? Still loaded? thought so
Even after 14 years your comment doesn't mature in its ignorance. Socialism doesn't alienate trade and competition, it is about fairness, not monopoly inasmuch Socialists should afford a Gucci jacket as long as others have the means to buy one themselves. Educate yourself fella.
Great humanist
Great socialist
Great pacifist
RIP Mr Benn
We need to emulate your ideals
Keep struggling for equality for ALL
What a great man of truth, honour and honesty!
From time to time I have to come back to this speech. It lifts my soul even if the problems remain. Knowledge is power.
Me too!
Me too
And me.
Class m8
When the brain listens to the heart, men like Tony Benn are born.
Wise words from the greatest pm Britain never had ✊️
I had the privilege of shaking his hand when he was invited by the local Labour Party in Melksham to speak at the Assembly Hall in the 1980s. He was a brilliant speaker and he introduced the then, recently elected Member of Parliament for Islington North; Jeremy Corbyn predicting that he would become the leader of the Labour Party.
I met Tony Benn in 1993 whilst at Ruskin College. What a beautiful man. My great grandfather started the first T@G union at Avon Rubber in Melksham in 1936 after 10 years of struggle for recognition.
What a great man...long live democracy
A real legend. I was touched and by his passion, rip.
A noble man.
The undisputed leader of the Labour movement.
The greatest prime minister we never had, such a shame!
Tony Benn is just wonderful. We need politicians like him in the US.
Bernie? But too old : (
This man is worth listening to. Not a lot of politicians who float my boat.
What a speaker - very few politicians today could speak so passionately and well.
I've got tears watching this in 2022 with the Conservatives , alone, electing the next PM (Sunak or Truss) and Keir Starmer's Labour Party sacking their MP's for expressing solidarity with striking RMT workers whilst commodity inflation is running at 10%. Tony Benn will always give me hope - though I suspect Starmer would have found a way to expel him from the party if he were still alive.
It’s shocking to think what we could have had. Even someone of half his calibre we would be looking at a much better world.
@@leet5357 It's shocking to think what's happening with Starmer in power now, and he's not popular.
I love this man. I really do. He got so emotional after about halfway, everything he said was true. I never usually say that about any politician. He is what Britain need. We need him back in politics, back fighting the super rich and the Tories.
This country needs a Tony benn now more than ever but instead we have Keir starmer who has forgotten what the labour party was created for.
One of the best Tony Benn speeches I’ve ever seen. Anyone who doesn’t earn in the top 10% in this country needs to watch it.
But they won’t.
Had the privilege of meeting him underground when he visited Cwm Colliery, Beddau in South Wales back in the 1980s. Had a brief chat with him as he was going through the coalface and found him a true gentleman.
I agree with all that Tony has said, I have been telling people since I was 18 (1992) that the “Right to buy” was poised to tie people to debt so they couldn’t strike, One point about privatisation though, is that it divorces responsibility from the government. British rail in its last year (1994) in operation as a complete public entity it received £1 Billion in public subsidy, the first year of total private ownership (1996) it received £6 Billion. That’s value!
I can remember the 1980s very well under Thatcher and the greed soceity. Back then Benn was classed as a true lefty. along with Foot and Skinner. How amazing now 30 years on people now have so much time and respect for this man. The fact is he has always told the truth as did Scargill.
The hero of the world left his memory live on forever
Tony Benn a great man and I love this man
George Galloway said it best "the best prime minister we never had" rest in peace mr.benn!
I met him twice , Great Great Man
A great man and a great leader!!! No wonder British people expressed so much respect towards him!!! ( Hi, everyone from Russia!! )))
Thanks for posting this! I suddenly realized I hadn't watched this speech in a few years and the only one wasn't anywhere to be found.
If you like this, I suggest you look up Tony Benn Will and Testament. It's a great movie about Tony, starring Tony.
a great man
Finally.. a man who has spoken words that have given me HOPE.. something I was very close in danger of losing.... Thankyou for educating me,and also inspiring me that there IS a future .
great man. I'll miss him xo
Americans for Tony Benn!
"The flame of anger and the flame of hope!"
The two flames. Thank you Sir Tony. Rest in peace. Thank you for your efforts. We will carry the torch.
Bless you Tony Benn .....all so relevant still
Wish you were still here X
This great man was a friend my late uncle who was in exile and leader of the Revolutionary Council of the ANC and President of the anti-apartheid movement in the 1960s and 1970s. I espouse socialist ideas because of this man and George Galloway. Comrade Benn was a powerful and forceful speaker. He was really the leader of the constituentsvof the rejected
Tony Benn is an absolute legend.
A great man a great speaker a great intellect and above all a man with a big heart who believed in democracy ❤ Sadly missed ❤
He is SO right.
Brilliant summary on rich control in society
Rest in peace sir.
Why, why, why can't we have sane people like Tony Benn in power?? Why can't our politicians listen to the people that elect them rather than the big money of the banks and mining companies?
Look up Machiavelli. That's why we cannot have good people in power.
No one like this now. We need someone like this now
Great man for a social democracy and i dont mind heavy regulated capitalism
so true all this. The source of all value in the world is human labour.
Tony must be turning in his grave at the moment! Rip
My god how much do we miss this man , johnson, cameron and starma take note
rip comrade
True...He have a good heart...
Formidable!
Few speeches have brought me to tears. This is one of them. Another is Stephen Fry’s speech against the Catholic Church, and another you could guess, because it’s brought all of us to tears at some point, MLK jr.’s ‘I have a dream’
Much Kudos for Tony Benn parliamentarian of the U.K. irra
I would trade all the U.S. Presidents of my lifetime, just to have a political situation in which someone like Tony Benn could form a government here. We be in so much better shape.
2023 we are slowly waking up!!!
He would send a shudder down the spine of the present government and in fact any government for that matter, genius.😂😂😂😂
He was fucking right. We will be fighting this forever. But it will be won.
Hi is brilliant. The nearest America got to Benn was J. Kenneth Galbraith. He was a great guy also.
I fear that even watching a video like this in 50 years time will land you in prison.
Words of Wisdom , Words of Wisdom
He is right.
Without the will of the voters and their consent that lies with them you don't have a government.
Period.
Only 24k views wow no wonder this country is in such a state we are now .
Fucking infuriating mate
Tony benn the signpost ✊🏼
"i think progress is being made by two flames, the flame of anger against injustice and the flame of hope to can build a better world" O.ô
Love this man..he knows the coup.
Education is not something they want people to have ....
.... University Tuition Fees:
in 2003 --> £1150
in 2006 --> £3500
in 2010 --> £8000-£12000
How much today?
Time to bring back the true Labour Party
We have to do it take the baton ourselves. In our own lives be aware, participate and be the best that we can be. I feel powerless, but I should try living in the same spirit as Tony Benn.
So better than Kinnock and Blair
"The restoration of power to those who've always controlled the world and the land"
This speech should be in place of the Queens(kings) speech each Christmas!
But I guess that would be educating people in the wrong way.
Afternoon Grim 👍✌️
I've seen towns that do stupid things for money. They build 50 buildings of poor-quality low-income housing, financed with revenue bonds, then bring in Section-8 tennants to fill the buildings. What they end up with is lots of REVENUE, and 50,000 people flooding the town's overtaxed police force, fire dept, schools, and hospitals.
Worse, the revenue from the subsidized rents doesn't pay for all the cops/nurses/teachers that are needed now.
A political genius
A fine Statesman , and great orator ,Gosh when you look at the rabble we have today , shows you how politicians have declined .Honourable , they call themselves, I don’t think so , they are anything but
No man has ever told so much truth , n laymens terms, like Tony does.. truth , decentcy , My god why are we so blind as not to see what is going on in this country, where the pound rules the people.. and not the people owning the pound.. put this country on a war footing for peace !, build the services we need,., why cant we all just pull together , and do this together,.surely when everybody pulls together there is no telling what great things this nation can achieve !..
Well arguing against military ventures isn't an argument against taxation in general - it's there to fund the provision of infrastructure and stability and protection, to maintain a strong fertile base for productive activity, and to promote economic activity. Pointing to one specific aspect you disagree with isn't making an argument for the whole thing to be thrown out
How this man is missed I wish millenials, generation z could know great spokesperson for humanity, starmer should be ashamed.
I have been making similar conclusions myself of late. Tony, I hope people listen to you, noone else listens to them.
Buckspur
So you were there? I was, I must say I remember things a little differently. The country was much worse during the 80's - except for the minority of course. The only thing that kept the balance of payments then were the oil receipts. For my family, most of my friends, their living standards dropped from the 70's. Now they work 2X times as long for less money, if they still have a job. Unlike their Executives of course. In the 70's it was a lot easier to get work, I know I did
@3LARI Hence the word 'never'.
@neonatalpenguin profuse apologies, my good man. Now that I understand, I agree.
you mean PM - he was an MP for years
@ajonbass why did you delete your comment? If 100% is stealing, at what persentage does it cease to be stealing?
@AtheistHumanist
Just because the messages are simple doesn't make them any less true. Judge the messages on their truth (or lack thereof), rather than out of a desire for complexity.
Then complain about the government spending public money on military ventures and imperialisation, not the fact that public money is collected for public goods
The socialists have always been weak. Tony Benn didn't push for a law that limited how much money you could borrow for a single-home mortgage. I remember London in the early 1990's. So many middle-class families had bought huge homes with huge loans that could never be paid back. The people that owned tiny row houses lucked out. Those little row houses are now selling for millions.
@adycousins No, they mean MP, Because Tony Benn was never the Prime Minister.
Trust me I understand, I however disagree. Let me suggest this definiton of slavery to you: Slavery is stealing 100% of one's labor and earnings. Or, the more coercion you have in a society, the closer the coerced are to being slaves. Do you agree with that? I am not saying your definiton is wrong by the way, I'm just offering ulternatives.
please stop smoking mr tony ben your lungs arte whisteling stop smoking so u can live longer a talk all
@afaultytoaster Not a chance!
does tony benn support the blairites?
If only Tony Benn knew his Scumacher as well as he knows his Marx.
I object to both
was this at one of the Marxism events or stop the war coalition?
neither, it was at an event organised by the forerunner of the People's Assembly
Adrian Cousins ah ok! good to know great video! you post a lot of really wonderful things by the way :) and was this in which part of England?
Thanks Yuri, this was in London at Conway Hall if I remember correctly
hey hat boy, come say that to my face.
please make your case! how is forcing people to give you money, called "taxation" different from stealing money?
Give unto Caesar what is Caesars
you are wrong! "stealing" has nothing to do with where the money goes or what it goes to! stealing is taking money coercively, which is the case in taxation! If you think I want my money to go and kill innocent civilians in third world countries, and you think that is a "service", then something is wrong with you. I want very few selected services from the government that I am willing to pay for them in voluntarily taxation where stealing would be institutionalized.
you don't know what you're talking about..define slavery for me and I'll show you how what I said makes perfect sense
cease your foul language
Ahhh poor Tony. yet more Holland Park based champagne socialism.
Hey Tony how is that capitalism treating your pension portfolio? Still loaded? thought so
Even after 14 years your comment doesn't mature in its ignorance. Socialism doesn't alienate trade and competition, it is about fairness, not monopoly inasmuch Socialists should afford a Gucci jacket as long as others have the means to buy one themselves.
Educate yourself fella.