Tony Benn and my secret shame
Not only does he look really good with a pipe, something I aspire to in old age when it probably won't make that much difference what I do to my lungs, he is man who isn't afraid to speak his mind.
The former MP served with distinction for 50 years and is still good value whenever he appears on TV shows - whether you agree with him or not.
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Hide AdSo why then didn't I go and see him when he visited Bexhill last week?
Well, for a start I was busy anyway and couldn't make it.
And even if I could've met him I would have been, how to put this ....embarrassed.
You see, I once did something to this great Parliamentarian who commands cross-party respect that I deeply regret.
I heckled him.
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Keep it down.
I didn't know any better. I was young, foolish and going for a cheap laugh. Which, apart from the young bit, would probably be a fair description of me now, but I digress.
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Hide AdPicture the scene, it's a conference in London held for A-level students and various political figures are giving talks.
Tony Benn goes into one of his sermons which, although interesting to begin with, did seem to drag on a bit compared to the other speakers. I probably had a short attention span as an 18-year-old anyway.
Towards the end of this very long, winding rhetoric, he looks at the audience and says, "But I'm getting old ..."
"So are we," I piped up, much to the horror and, it has to be said, partial amusement of my teacher.
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Hide AdStill not sure how I got away with it actually. Maybe I had enough swottiness credit in the bank for him to cut me some slack. Or he was a closet right-winger.
Anyway, I thought it was terribly cool (it's only later you come to understand that 'cool' in the company of dozens of economics students is a very relative thing) and sat back in my seat comfortable my peers had chuckled at my satirical genius.
Obviously I now realise it's more likely they were chuckling at me being a bit of a prat.
Not that Benn cared. The consummate political professional he carried straight on.
I wouldn't think he remembers it now.
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Hide AdI do though. And every time I see him on TV saying something admirable I tell myself off.
So I hope Bexhilians enjoyed his visit and found his forthright opinions stimulating whether they are in to politics or not. I know a fair few got to shake his hand.
I just wouldn't have been able to look him in the eye.