RIP Bob Crow

Mirandola

Godwin's law!

Detritus

24 to hit Godwin.

Sutent

All very sad loosing Tony Benn in the sane week.

checkski

Just thinking the same thing, Sutent. In a way, TB achieved less then BC - virtually nothing, I'm sad to say - but, boy, what a speaker. Head and shoulders above everyone else on the left. I last heard him at the annual Hiroshima memorial do, in Bloomsbury. Very frail, but when he opened his mouth, as strong, eloquent, sincere as ever. God, we'll miss him.

ChangN4N6

Ah yes, Vicount Stansgate who lived his socialist ideals from a £5m house in Holland Park. What with Bob, wedgewood benn off and Chris tarrant in the waiting room it's looking like quite a clear out of (not so) favourite entertainers. Ha! Chang

checkski

Bugger off, troll. You are a pain, at times.

Sutent

A true inspiring champion checkski.

yagamuffin

I wouldn't say Tony Benn achieved nothing, without his voice who knows how much further to the right Tony Blair would have dragged the Labour party.<div>Benn really will be a monumental loss to British politics.</div>

Mirandola

You know what I said about Chang growing up? I take it back.

Detritus

I am sad about Tony Benn he was one if the few on the left who I genuinely respected.

Papa

I had the great pleasure of meeting Tony Benn once and got to spend a fair while talking to him. <br><br>He was a really nice man, very open and intelligent and extremely perceptive. He was one of those people who you feel it was an absolute honour to have met. <br><br>It was 2008, and we spoke about the financial crisis. I expected him to say that he'd seen all this before and it wasn't that bad. he said the opposite, that he thought the real potential damage was being underplayed. It wasn't just about the banks and money it was about the collective fear, the pain on those who would pay the price - which wouldn't be the rich -  and the way this could be used to foster extremism and divide people.<br><br>He pointed to the fact that he had seen the effects of the last financial crisis and how that ultimately gave us World War 2 and that while something that drastic was unlikely, we needed to be vigilant against unintended consequences.<br><br>Considering what has subsequently happened in the eurozone, Ukraine etc. he seems pretty much on the money.<br><br>What he said to me echoed some stuff he said <a href="http://www.spectator.co.uk/supplements/awards-2008/3025336/tony-benn-a-politician-who-actually-believes-in-people/">in this interview</a>, which is well worth a read.<br>

Arkady

My friend wrote this about Tony Benn.  It says everything I would want to say, only more beautifully: http://www.politics.co.uk/blogs/2014/03/14/the-socialism-of-humanity-a-tribute-to-tony-benn<div><br></div>;

ChangN4N6

Viscount Stansgate. Chang

andy

I love that your objections primarily pivot on the nationalisation of vets.

andy

<img src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Biq5ACfCIAAP4fL.jpg">

dion

@crankyitguy Have you asked these questions of yourself lately?

Arkady

1) not much<br>2) himself<br>3) ours<br>4) no-one<br>5) nevaaaaaaa

krappyrubsnif

I think Chang's problem is he forgot to take his medication today.

andy

<div>@dion<;/div><div><span style="font-size: 10pt;">1. The power to build, fund, host and moderate a website where everyone hates me and nothing good ever happens</span></div><div>2. I did it to myself, I did, and that's what really hurts</div><div>3. Everyone but yours. I am lucky enough to have spirited up a magical community where everyone feels part of a persecuted minority permanently oppressed by the nebulous group known only as "the majority of people on this site". </div><div>4. My own wounded sense of entitlement</div><div>5. You are more than welcome to stop using it, or set up your own. Please do. Please. Please.</div>

Idoru

I have the power of the voodoo

ADGS

Andy: While I obviously can't wholeheartedly say that I like it, given the content, that's the best post on here in ages.

Detritus

"You do?" "Voodoo"

ChangN4N6

@krappyrubsnif I don't recon relatives of IRA victims in Manchester or Xville will recon your comment (slur) is very gracious. For some idumb reason they don't see Tony's friends from the Republic as freedom fighters. But perhaps they need to take ther medication eh? Chang

Mirandola

Do do that voodoo that you do so well.