Who is the greatest politician never to be PM?

[reecejackox]

Can be anyone

Patel has to be up there.

[Swan]

Wes Streeting

Central, something this country needs!

[Kizzy]

Tony Benn

[Denver]

Lord Buckethead

[Black Dagger]

Can be anyone

Patel has to be up there.

HAHAAHAHAHAHA. Ha.

[GiRTh]

Tony Bennx2

I saw him speak in the late 80's and it changed my world view forever. Few politicians can and have had that kind of impact in the UK

[bots]

John Smith would have been outstanding

[joeysteele]

John Smith and Michael Heseltine.

One of each from the main parties.

[joeysteele]

Wes Streeting

Central, something this country needs!

Wes is excellent, I sort of hoped he'd have run for Labour leader..
Maybe next time.

He really knows his stuff.

[smudgie]

Mo Mowlam.

[joeysteele]

Mo Mowlam.

Great lady.
Read a lot about her..
So sad her life and career were cut short by her brain tumour illness.
She worked really hard.

[UserSince2005]

I would love to see Priti Patel get her gig.

William Hague would have been nice for a first Gay PM.

[Livia]

Tony Benn

I'm sure this will surprise you, but I agree. I can't pretend that I agreed with everything his said but, what a statesman. One of the few politicians ever to have the courage of his convictions.

[Livia]

Mo Mowlam.

Yes... another great politician, unfortunately shafted by her own party. They removed Mo Mowlam from the Northern Ireland Agreement and replaced her with........ Mandleson.

[The Slim Reaper]

Mosley.

[smudgie]

Yes... another great politician, unfortunately shafted by her own party. They removed Mo Mowlam from the Northern Ireland Agreement and replaced her with........ Mandleson.

I actually shed tears when this happened.

[Kizzy]

I'm sure this will surprise you, but I agree. I can't pretend that I agreed with everything his said but, what a statesman. One of the few politicians ever to have the courage of his convictions.

I am surprised given your statement on socialists in no 10, they smeared him like they did Corbyn maybe one day you'll have a change of heart about him too? Here's a reminder of the tactics they applied to both.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2014/mar/14/tony-benn-national-newspapers

[Livia]

I am surprised given your statement on socialists in no 10, they smeared him like they did Corbyn maybe one day you'll have a change of heart about him too? Here's a reminder of the tactics they applied to both.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2014/mar/14/tony-benn-national-newspapers

They smeared him, but I'm sorry, I don't see his treatment as being anything like Corbyn's.

And I still believe this country will never elect a socialist.

That doesn't stop me admiring Tony Benn as a politician, as a writer and as a man.

[Liam-]

Jezza obvs

[Kizzy]

They smeared him, but I'm sorry, I don't see his treatment as being anything like Corbyn's.

And I still believe this country will never elect a socialist.

That doesn't stop me admiring Tony Benn as a politician, as a writer and as a man.

The vilification was unrelenting. When he stood for the deputy leadership in 1981, the Sun led the charge against him. And it found plenty of support from within the Labour party itself.

Benn's biographer, David Powell, described the campaign against Benn as "venomous" and quoted the Labour MP and Benn supporter, Michael Meacher, as saying:

"There was never less than a half-page of vitriol in the press every day, and the source was the right wing of the Labour party."

Really? ..I'd say the treatment was running almost parallel as highlighted here from that article.

I find Benn and Corbyn very similar in their views particularly the importance of truth and justice over grandstanding and spin.

[Kizzy]

Jezza obvs

Well yes, I thought I would mention another massively principled man was vilified to the nth degree by his own party first :)

[Livia]

The vilification was unrelenting. When he stood for the deputy leadership in 1981, the Sun led the charge against him. And it found plenty of support from within the Labour party itself.

Benn's biographer, David Powell, described the campaign against Benn as "venomous" and quoted the Labour MP and Benn supporter, Michael Meacher, as saying:

"There was never less than a half-page of vitriol in the press every day, and the source was the right wing of the Labour party."

Really? ..I'd say the treatment was running almost parallel as highlighted here from that article.

I find Benn and Corbyn very similar in their views particularly the importance of truth and justice over grandstanding and spin.


You seem to believe that if I admire Tony Benn, then by extension, I should admire Corbyn... and I don't. And I never will.

[user104658]

Wee Nic. Get her into Westminster. Forget Scottish Indy; we'll annex England and rename the whole place Scotland, and you will all drink Irn Bru and eat Haggis and read The Broons and you'll gosh darn well have a good time doing it!

[Livia]

Wee Nic. Get her into Westminster. Forget Scottish Indy; we'll annex England and rename the whole place Scotland, and you will all drink Irn Bru and eat Haggis and read The Broons and you'll gosh darn well have a good time doing it!

I've never been so happy to be moving to US.

[user104658]

I've never been so happy to be moving to US.

Chlorinated haggis :worry:. Although I bet Irn Bru made with HFCS would be delicious.

[Liam-]

I nominate Mark Drakeford

[bots]

i can't believe george galloway hasn't been mentioned

https://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41213000/jpg/_41213070_gallo_cat203.jpg

[The Slim Reaper]

i can't believe george galloway hasn't been mentioned

Why would he be?

[Livia]

i can't believe george galloway hasn't been mentioned

https://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41213000/jpg/_41213070_gallo_cat203.jpg
If I wake up screaming tonight, I'm holding you responsible.

[Kizzy]

You seem to believe that if I admire Tony Benn, then by extension, I should admire Corbyn... and I don't. And I never will.

I noted you admire the qualities in Benn I saw in both is all. I also saw the way both were viewed while in office and found the comparison interesting.

[Kizzy]

I've never been so happy to be moving to US.

Have you been measured up for your MAGA hat yet?

[Shaun]

Tony Benn was great in terms of being erudite and gentlemanly and well-researched... can't say I know too many of his political stances, mind, but he was a little bit before my time :angel: (all I remember from my teen years were his anti-Iraq war sentiments, which were, obviously, sound)

From the Conservatives, I always liked Kenneth Clarke. Again, great composure, well-spoken, and not afraid to break from toeing the party line.

[Crimson Dynamo]

Our Nige of course

[joeysteele]

Wee Nic. Get her into Westminster. Forget Scottish Indy; we'll annex England and rename the whole place Scotland, and you will all drink Irn Bru and eat Haggis and read The Broons and you'll gosh darn well have a good time doing it!

No joking from me here.
I wish she was running the UK.

I've always liked Nicola Sturgeon but she has just shown all through this pandemic more competence and compassion.

I don't mind too the odd drink of Irn Bru, I enjoy the Broons.
I'll pass on the haggis as I'm vegetarian.

[user104658]

No joking from me here.
I wish she was running the UK.

I've always liked Nicola Sturgeon but she has just shown all through this pandemic more competence and compassion.

I don't mind too the odd drink of Irn Bru, I enjoy the Broons.
I'll pass on the haggis as I'm vegetarian.

There is such a thing as vegetarian haggis (a lot of haggis is actually grains and spices) ... I can't vouch for that being any good, though, as I've only ever eaten the real stuff with sheep parts in it.

[Livia]

There is such a thing as vegetarian haggis (a lot of haggis is actually grains and spices) ... I can't vouch for that being any good, though, as I've only ever eaten the real stuff with sheep parts in it.

The greatest thing ever to come out of Scotland.... the haggis supper. without a doubt. I wish our chip shops sold them.

[Amy Jade]

Diane abbott