Read The Benn Diaries: 1940-1990 Online
Authors: Tony Benn
cuts under the Tories, 608
nationalisation
shipbuilding (1974), 295, 296
Aircraft and Shipbuilding Bill (1976), 367, 376
‘Nationwide’ interview (1970), 222
Neave, Airey, 394, 506–7
murder, 467–8
Nehru, Pandit, 48
Nellist, Dave, 573, 598, 600, 627, 628
Neville, Richard, jailed in
Oz
trial (1971), 245
‘Newsnight’ profile, 494
interview (1987), not used, 602
Nicholas, Harry, 71, 80, 81, 204, 228, 237–8, 260
Nixon, Richard, 225, 330, 344, 416
meeting (1969), 200–1
Watergate scandal (1973), 265, 266, 267, 273
resignation (1974), 298, 456
Nkrumah, Kwame: deposed as President, 146–7
Noel-Baker, Francis, 308
Noel-Baker, Philip, 39, 82
wins Nobel Prize, 82
North Sea oil and gas, 334, 342, 344, 394, 411, 421
blow-out Ekofisk field, 411–12, 419
oil-rig safety, 436–7, 615
renationalisation policy, 525, 526
Northern Ireland, 212–14
troops committed (1969), 212
Bogside massacre (1972), 251–2
divisions within Labour cabinet (1974), 287
emergency powers (1974), 304
Benn advocates withdrawal, 305, 335
IRA: bombings in London, 263, 275, 305, 330, 333–4; bombings in Ulster, 287; Birmingham bombings (1974); 304; Balcombe Street siege (1975), 339; claim murder of Airey Neave (1979), 467; Mountbatten assassination (1979), 479; Brighton bomb (1984), 572–3
Nott, John, 532
Notting Hill riots (1958), 59
nuclear debate, 166, 173–4, 411, 413, 415–16, 553–6
opposition to French tests (1966), 159–60
Non-Proliferation Treaty, 173, 207–8
advance in fast reactors, 206
underground testing in US, 214–15
power stations, 227–8
reprocessing, 333
Carter policy, 411, 413, 414
cost of nuclear power, 530
disarmament talks, 592
Polaris, 593
US bases in Britain, 593, 619
Trident missile, 493, 594, 619, 622
Chernobyl disaster, 619
nuclear reactors, 362–3
fast breeders, 364, 365, 390, 411
reprocessing plant, 376–7
Nutting, Anthony: resignation over Suez, 40, 43
O’Neill, Martin, 628
Orme, Stan, 239, 254, 339, 349, 368, 376, 382, 408, 427, 446, 526, 533
Osborn, Mark, 629
Osborne, Cyril, 106
Owen, Bill, 547
Owen, David (Lord), 373–4, 398, 399, 428, 466, 472, 478, 487, 501, 504
resigns from Shadow Cabinet (1972), 362
Foreign Secretary (1977–9), 400–1, 405, 412, 413, 420, 422, 424, 425–6, 434, 446, 463
Common Market paper, 426–7
describes Benn as phoney and bogus, 494
Founder Member SDP (1981), 503, 510, 531, 535, 579, 593; supporters split and defect to Liberals (1987), 602
Oxford University: Benn at New College, 3–4
Padley, Walter, 70, 81–2
Page, Bruce, 507
Paget, Reginald (Lord), 42, 101
Palliser, Michael, 183
Palme, Olaf, 222–3, 256, 488
Palmer, Arthur, 500
Palmer, John, 577
Pannell, Charles (Lord), 61–2, 91, 101, 102, 117, 250
Pardoe, John, 347, 407, 409, 473
Parker, Lord Chief Justice, 119, 120
Parker, Lady, 119–20
Parker, John, 15
Parker, Sir Peter, 539
Parkhouse, Geoffrey, 621
‘Parkinson Show’ (1979), appearance on, 480–1
Parry, Terry, 339, 534
Part, Sir Antony, 287, 288, 289, 293–4, 295, 296–7, 326–7, 494
Peacocke, Inspector General RUC, 213
Peart, Fred (Lord), 176, 183, 185, 221, 287, 396
Leader of the Commons, 195
Leader of the Lords, 368, 376
peerage renunciation campaign, 25–6, 35, 49–50, 53, 86–94, 99
sympathy from Churchill, 35, 69
lack of support from Gaitskell, 86–7
debarred from the House by Speaker, 89–90
unsuccessful at Election Court, 91–4
Peerage Bill (later Act), 101, 102, 103
Peirce, Gareth, 578
Pelham, David, 98
Penhaligon, David, 530, 546
Pennell, Monty, 343, 344
Penney, Sir William (Lord), 173
Pettifor, Ann, 629
Peyton, John: leadership challenge (1975), 309
Phillips, Morgan, 60, 66
Phoenix, Pat, 562
Pincher, Chapman, 425, 428, 453, 457
Pitt, Terry, 144, 204, 275
Pochin, Sir Edward, 472
poll-tax demonstrations, 617–18, 624–5
Pompidou, Georges, 159–60, 167, 172, 288
calls referendum on Common Market enlargement (1972), 254
death (1974), 285
Ponting, Clive, 574, 575
Poore, Dennis, 284, 290, 311
Postmaster General (1964–6), 117–59
stamp design changes, 125–8, 133, 135–6, 140–3, 153
introduction of Giro, 135
opening of Post Office Tower, 140
Poulson, John 262; arrested, 271
Poulson affair (1973), 262, 271
Powell, Enoch, 53, 69, 99, 229, 250, 274, 277, 349, 408, 494, 509
resignation over estimates, 55, 63, 186
sacked from Shadow Cabinet by Heath after racist speech (1968), 186–7
racial issue raised in election speeches (1970), 229, 230–1
attacked in Benn’s speech, 229–30, 232
recommends votes for Labour against Common Market (1974), 268, 281
attack on Heath (1974), 276
decision not to stand in 1974 election, 281
anti-Common Market stance, 268, 281, 319–20
repatriation speech (1976), 370
Prentice, Reg, 112, 273, 279, 321, 337, 366
crosses over to Tories, 432
Prescott, John 245, 603, 609
press hostility towards Benn, 261–2, 265, 274, 276, 280, 283, 325–6, 397, 481, 539, 558, 559, 560, 562, 576, 640
Price, Chris, 506
Priddle, Robert (Under-Secretary), 458
Primarolo, Dawn, 544, 601
Prior, James (Lord)
leadership challenge (1975), 309
Secretary of State for Employment (1979–81), 493
Privy Council, Benn’s admission into, 117
Profumo, John, 95, 98, 104
proportional representation, Benn’s objection to, 621
Pym, Francis, 424, 535
Tory Chief Whip (1971), 239
Qadhafi, General, 616
Quebec A-bomb agreement (1943), 36
‘Question Time’ (1982), appearance on, 546
Race, Reg, 486, 550–1
Race Relations Act, 438
radio and TV adviser to Labour, 32, 35, 62
Rampton, Sir Jack (Deputy Secretary), 228, 336–7, 339, 340, 358, 362, 363, 399, 402, 436
Ramsey, Archbishop Michael, 98
Ramsbotham, Sir Peter, 415
Raphael, Adam, 494
Read, Kingsley, 438
Reagan, Ronald, 501, 511, 530, 553, 561, 595
visits Britain (1982), 536–7
Reykjavik summit (1986), 592
admirer of Thatcher, 597
redundancies, 458, 608
Rees, Merlyn (Lord Merlyn-Rees), 99, 287, 375, 376, 400, 401, 478, 487, 525, 526
Home Secretary (1976–9), 367, 425–6, 439, 450, 451, 452, 457, 461
Rees-Mogg, William, 370–1, 428
Reid, Jimmy, 260, 301
Reilly, Sir Patrick, 258
republican views, 519
Reykjavik summit (1986), 592
Rhodesia crisis, 155, 166,204, 399
sanctions, 424
Richardson, Jo, 486, 551, 578, 610, 630–1
Ridley, Nicholas (Lord), 241, 387
Rippon, Geoffrey 234
Robens, Alf (Lord), 44, 53, 244; SDP, 510
Roberts, Frank, 178
Robeson, Paul, 58–9
Robinson, Geoffrey, 290, 298, 303
Robinson, Bishop John:
Honest to God
, 96–7, 99
Robinson, Kenneth, 72, 114, 117, 145
Robinson, Svend, 636
Rodgers, Bill (Lord), 161, 240, 250, 272, 362, 368, 280, 427, 501, 504, 508
Founder Member SDP (1981), 503, 510
Rogers, Herbert, 102, 113–14,137, 228, 229, 350, 552
Rooke, Denis, 339
Roosevelt, Franklin D., death of; 17
Rose, Dr Clifford, 517–18, 524
Rose, Kenneth, 103
Ross, Donald, 275
Ross, Willie, 177, 188, 287, 313, 314
Rothschild, Lord, 166, 592
Rowe, Eric (agent), 31
Royal Air Force, wartime service, 5–22
pilot training in Rhodesia, 10–17; gains Wings, 17
leave in Jerusalem, 18–20
Ruddock, Joan, 610
Runcie, Archbishop Robert, 587
Rushdie, Salman:
Satanic Verses
, 616–17
Russell, Bertrand, 63, 347
Ryder, Don: chairmanship NEB, 304–5, 339
Ryland, Bill, 151
St Clair, Malcolm, 88
St John Stevas, Norman, 230, 533, 540–1
salesman: Benn trade books in US, 25
Saunois, Tony, 497, 505
Sawyer, Tom 558, 576
Scanlon, Hugh (Lord), 260, 294, 339–40, 345, 406, 453
Scargill, Arthur, 345, 375, 442–3, 448, 558, 567, 570, 572, 575, 579
Schlesinger, Jim, 455–7
Schmidt, Helmut, 288, 372, 374, 377, 379, 385, 424, 452, 457, 461, 488, 489
Schonfield, Victor, 481
Schreiber, Mark, 609
Secretary of State for Industry (1974–5), 283–322
threat to Concorde, 284,285; saved by Benn, 295; test flight, 297–8
National Enterprise Board, 287, 288, 296
open government policy, 289, 291
nationalisation of shipbuilding (1974), 295, 296
Security Services, Benn’s paper on reform, 452
phone-tapping, 450, 451, 452, 453, 457, 475
Spycatcher
revelations, 592, 595, 600–1, 615; Hyde Park readings by Benn, 601
Sedgemore, Brian (PPS), 375, 378, 392, 393, 439, 462, 477, 568, 569
Sell, Hannah, 619
Sever, John 506
Seyd, Patrick, 576, 577
Shackleton, Edward, 160, 193
Shah of Iran, Benn’s meeting with, 341–3
Shawcross, Sir Hartley (Lord), 60; SDP. 510
Shepherd, Richard, 622
Shinwell, Manny (Lord), 72
Shore, Peter, 65, 107, 108, 114, 122, 138, 144, 146, 156, 157, 162–3, 177, 183, 184, 186, 187, 188, 210, 220, 229–30, 242, 250, 257, 273, 274, 283, 288, 306, 351, 363, 366, 377, 381, 382, 383, 387, 388, 399, 405, 408, 416, 439, 478, 499, 504–5, 516, 525, 613
anti-Common Market, 222, 273, 313, 487, 495
Trade Minister (1974), 286
move to the right, 438
Short, Clare, 592, 610
Short, Edward (Lord Glenamara), 159, 160, 185, 220, 279, 348, 352
Shotton steelworks, 458
Sieff, Edward, 91, 98
Sieff, Lois, 91, 98
Silkin, John, 210, 276, 323, 368, 417, 425, 454, 487, 499, 516, 520, 521, 532; Chief Whip, 195
Silkin, Sam (Lord), 417
Sillars, Jim, 273, 421, 634
Silverman, Sydney, 40, 50, 72, 213
Sirs, Bill, 478
Skinner, Dennis, 317, 349, 436, 448, 450, 516–17, 520, 561, 566, 568, 570–1, 573, 576, 578, 602, 611, 612, 615, 627
Slater, Joe (Lord), 112, 124, 134
appointed Assistant Postmaster General to Benn, 117
Moscow visit (1967), 168
Smith, Charles, 224
Smith, Cyril, 347
Smith, Harry, 584–5
Smith, Sir Howard, 452–3
Smith, Ian, 140, 166, 204, 399
Smith, John, 487, 611, 619
Secretary of State for Trade, 454
Smith, Ned, 570
Smith, Ron, 118
Snow, Peter, 602
Snowdon, Lord, 135
Soames, Christopher (Lord), 165
Soames, Mary, 165–6
Social Democratic Party (SDP), 583
formation (1981), 503, 512–13
supporters, 505
by-election victory at Glasgow Hillhead, 531
defection to Liberals in 1987 splits the party, 601–2
Soley, Clive, 600
Soper, Donald (Lord), 59
Soskice, Frank, 60, 112, 139
Soviet Union visits by Benn: (1960) 73–8; (1969) 205–9; (1987) 603–8
Spearman, Alec, 42
Spencer, Sir Kelvin, 530
Spender, Sir Stephen, 71
Stalin, Joseph, 189, 192, 607, 608
Stanley, Brian, 331, 426
Stansgate, Lord (William Wedgwood Benn), father, 15, 25, 27, 37, 49, 58, 70, 82, 103, 123, 347, 404, 414
peerage, 1
RAF service, 2
letter from Tony Benn, 7–8
son killed in action, 13
Labour MP, 494
Secretary of State for Air (1945), 638
death, 83–5, 86
Stansgate, Margaret (Lady), mother, 2, 10, 12–13, 27, 83, 84, 90, 102, 103, 154, 194, 347, 420, 477, 485, 513, 538, 615, 620–1
Steel, David (MP), 347, 449, 508, 535, 597
Lib-Lab pact (1977), 408, 409
Steel, Sir David (Chairman BP), 334, 343, 344
steelworks closures (1978), 458
Stein, Dr, 515
Stevenson, Adlai, 49
Stewart, Michael (Lord), 114, 155, 159–60, 163, 177, 182, 183, 184, 197, 204, 205, 213, 220, 221, 225
Foreign Secretary: (1964) 122–3; (1968) 185, 227
negative approach, 218
Stockwood, Mervyn, 71, 97–8
Stokes, Sir Donald (Lord), 166
Stokes, Sir John, 628
Stonehouse, John, 97, 180
drowning mystery, 304
move to expel from the House, 307–8
Postmaster General, 195
convicted and jailed, 367
Strachey, John, 34
Strang, Gavin, 610
Strauss, George, 354
strikes and unrest (1977), 432–3, 460
student unrest (1970), 220
Suez War (1956), 38–47, 53
Israeli attack on Egypt, 38
Benn opposes war, 638
Sukarno, Achmad, 113
Summerskill, Edith, 373
Summerskill, Shirley, 527, 540
Sutch, David, 561
Sykes, Richard, assassination, 465
Tatchell, Peter, 527–8, 538, 542
Tatters, Tommy, 597
Taverne, Dick, 245, 255
resignation as Labour MP, 260–1
attacked by Benn, 261
re-election as independent, 263
Taylor, A. J. P., 268
Tebbit, Norman (Lord), 279, 357, 622
anti–Europe, 436
Brighton bomb (1984), 572
Technology, Minister of (1966–70), first Cabinet post, 159–232
saves Harrier jump jet, 166
Moscow trips: (1967) 168–71; (1969) 205–9