Conflicts of Interest: Diaries, 1977-1980

Tony Benn Diaries #5

by Tony Benn, Ruth Winstone (Editor)

As Secretary of State for energy, Tony Benn was concerned with a major dispute at Windscale and as President of the EEC Energy Council, his time was taken up with decisions about oil policy and nuclear power. Discussions in Cabinet concentrated on the volatile international scene, President Carter's reappraisal of American nuclear and foreign policy, the overthrow of the Shah of Iran, mounting difficulties with the Common Market and Britain's disputed membership of the European Monetary system. On the domestic front there was growing evidence of anti-democratic intelligence activity.

Genres: Politics, Diary, Nonfiction, Biography

675 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 4, 1990

About the author

Anthony Neil Wedgwood "Tony" Benn, PC, formerly 2nd Viscount Stansgate, was a British Labour Party politician. He served as a Member of Parliament from 1951 until 2001, and was a Cabinet Minister under Harold Wilson and James Callaghan in the 1960s and 1970s. After his retirement from the House of Commons, he continued his activism and served as president of the Stop the War Coalition.

Reviews

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

As ever, interesting, sometimes funny, sometimes raw view from personal experience of the events of the day. Tony Benn was much too optimistic about the future (easy to say with hindsight). The extent to which the Labour government of Callaghan was not really promoting what could be described as Labour policies is surprising (but then, we only had the press's version at the time, and that is weighted in a different direction). The whole question of diaries is interesting - do people treat you differently if you are known to be keeping one? Would it make people wary of you? This diary was published in 1990, when both Benn and some of the people he talks about were still alive, so some of them certainly had the opportunity to find out what he thought about them. On the whole he doesn't have a lot of harsh words for people, exasperated though he clearly was with Callaghan. Bits to do with the royal family and/or the honours system are always entertaining. The published diary is only the tip of the iceberg compared with the quantity that was produced, and the necessary editing sometimes leaves you with the beginning of a story but no follow-up. This volume takes us through the 1979 election and the beginning of the Thatcher era, with Tony Benn choosing not to be in the shadow cabinet (having had enough of being told that he had to support policies he didn't agree with, and having already in any case been threatened with the sack before). He does not at this point foresee the demise of the trade union movement and the long-term effects of monetarism. This is a great contemporary source for studying the period.

[Bill Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Working my way through Tony Benn's diaries and having started late in the series, I am now approaching the final volume having finished the final 3 years in power and the first year of the Thatcher government. Understandably there is a lot more to be said while in power. The next volume while out of government covers 10 years rather than 4 in a similar number of pages. I read small bits at a time and over a year or so. It is fascinating to read these diaries and depressing to see how little has changed. The debates over the European Union, or EEC as it was at that time, continue and Benn still wants a campaign to leave. Equally, the debates over energy supply - coal, oil and nuclear power - are critical. Also the infighting within political parties, and a lot of time spent on the debates between left and right, who should have the power in the Labour Party - MPs, Unions or constituency members. It goes on. 50 years on and you can see where Benn's proposals led to and arguments against, at the time, proved closer to what happened. I like Benn and agree with a lot of his thinking, but he doesn't seem to be a practical politician (different to putting a lot of energy into his work) missing what can or should be achieved and going all out for what won't be. A lot of insights from the time; a time that I remember but only seen through student's eyes. What is tremendous about the diaries, is that they are so well produced, not least down to editor Ruth Winstone - index, glossary of principal characters, abbreviations - it makes it all so readable. I've enjoyed the journey and it is nearly over. Onto my last volume.

[Alistair Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tony Benn's diaries are erudite, witty, volumous and are essential reading for anyone with an interest in politics, he is among the greatest of our political diaryists.
This volume covers the period 1977-1980 during which period Benn was Secretary of State for Energy.
This is an enthralling account of Labour infighting, the acceptance by Healey et al that economic decline was inevitable, the winter of discontent and, while this wasn't the authors intent, why Labour are a shambles in government (the exception being Blair). The paralells with today are striking, the Iranian nuclear problem, unions out control on pay with a weak government, splits and pushing to leave the then EEC.
Benn's diaries are also amusing, touching (as with the death of his daughter in law from cancer) and full of random encounters on trains.
You don't have to agree with the authors politics to acknowledge that he was a man of principle with a hinterland, something largely absent from our sub rate politicians in 2025