A Blaze of Autumn Sunshine by Tony Benn

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An interesting read, a snapshot of former MP Tony Benn's life as it neared its conclusion. This book is interesting enough for its political diary, but the human element to its stories is what makes this a great book. Benn, on the fringe of politics when he wrote this, was still very active politically in many communities as well as being a doting grandfather, one who revels in his busy life.
He pulls no punches regarding his increasing frailty and worries about his ability to do something useful with his life at an age when most people yearn only for a comfortable chair and a blanket. His schedule is exhausting to read about, up and down the country on a regular basis and abroad when required, he even mentions a plan to keep working if he is hospitalised when his health fails!
You may not have agreed with the man's political views but you cannot help but admire his drive and determination to help others, while always keeping an eye on the scoundrels who populated the benches in the House of Commons. There is a feeling that Benn considered himself almost an independent, and as such his critical eye is free to roam across friends and foes alike; his distaste for New Labour and its Blairites is not concealed, neither are his opinions on the abilities of up-and-comers such as Boris Johnson and David Cameron. Even in his eighties he still feared being thrown out of the Labour Party, mainly out of concern for any embarrassment it might cause his son Hilary, a member of the Cabinet at the time.
His final diary is full of concern for the future, he doesn't always paint a rosy picture, and unfortunately a lot of things he feared have come true; Labour not being able to win an election under Brown, a coalition government being bad for the country - what chance his prediction of twenty years of Tory rule?
A proud grandfather he keeps us informed of what the kids are doing - Hilary in the Cabinet, Josh fixing and repairing, Lissie's writing career - it's plain he enjoys their adventures very much. His own address book is an interesting mix of socialists, old foes and attractive TV stars (Natasha Kaplinsky, Saffron Burrows, Selina Scott, etc.). It's a miracle he found time for politics and demonstration marches!
The abrupt end to his regular diary (he lost the urge to record his views after a bout of ill health) is softened somewhat by his own summation at the book's end, something which I was very glad for. Alan Clark's diary entries simply stopped, but here Benn gets to have his final say. I shall seek out Benn's previous diaries on the strength of this volume. Tony Benn, socialist, diarist, campaigner - much missed but not forgotten.