The Benn Diaries: 1940-1990

by Benn, Tony

  BUTLER, David. Political scientist and broadcaster, whose special subject is the study of elections; the first person to coin the term ‘psephology’. Co-author of British Political Facts 1900–83. Lifelong friend.

  CALLAGHAN, James (Jim). Prime Minister, 1976–9; and Leader of the Labour Party, 1976–80. Held junior posts in the 1945–51 Labour Government; was Chancellor of the Exchequer, 1964–7; and Home Secretary, 1967–70. Foreign Secretary, 1974–6. Chairman of the Labour Party, 1973/4; and Labour MP for South, South-East and again South Cardiff, 1945–87. Created a life peer in 1987. Married to Audrey Callaghan.

  CASTLE, Barbara. Leader of the British Labour Group in the European Parliament, 1979–85. Secretary of State for Social Services, 1974–6; dismissed by James Callaghan when he formed his government in 1976. Minister of Overseas Development, 1964–5. Minister of Transport, 1965–8; Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity, 1968–70. Chairman of the Labour Party, 1958/9. Labour MP for Blackburn, 1945–79. Created a life peer in 1990.

  CHAPPLE, Frank. General Secretary of the Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunications and Plumbing Trade Union, 1966–84. Created a life peer in 1985.

  CHURCHILL, Winston (1874–1965). Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, 1940–5; Prime Minister, 1951–5; Home Secretary, 1910–11; First Lord of the Admiralty 1911–15; Secretary of State for War, Air and the Colonies 1919–22; Chancellor of the Exchequer 1924–9. Parliamentary career began in 1900 as Conservative MP for Oldham, and ended in 1964 as Conservative MP for Woodford, Churchill sitting as a Liberal MP, 1904–22. Out of Parliament for only two years, 1922–4.

  CLARKE, Lucille. Personal Secretary to Tony Benn for many years from 1968.

  CLARKE, Richard (Otto) (1910–75). Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Technology. Formerly a senior Treasury official. Retired 1970.

  CLEMENTS-ELLIOTT, Julie. Personal Secretary to Tony Benn, 1976–84.

  COCKS, Michael. Opposition Chief Whip, 1979–85. Government Chief Whip, 1976–9. Labour MP for Bristol South, 1970–87. Created a life peer in 1987.

  CORBYN, Jeremy. Official of National Union of Public Employees, 1975–83. Labour MP for Islington North since 1983.

  COUSINS, Frank (1904–86). General Secretary of the Transport and General Workers’ Union, brought into the Labour Cabinet as Minister of Technology in 1964. Resigned in 1966 over government policy and returned to the union until his retirement in 1969. Labour MP for Nuneaton, 1965–6.

  CRAIGIE, Jill. Author and journalist, married to Michael Foot.

  CRIPPS, Francis. Economic adviser to Tony Benn, 1974–9. Founder member of the Cambridge Economic Policy Group.

  CROSLAND, Anthony (1918–77). Foreign Secretary from 1976 to his sudden death in February 1977. In the 1964–70 Government he was successively Minister of State for Economic Affairs, Secretary of State for Education and Science, President of the Board of Trade, finally Secretary of State for Local Government. Secretary of State for the Environment, 1974–6. Labour MP for South Gloucester, 1950–5, and Grimsby, 1959–77. Married journalist Susan Barnes in 1964. A personal friend from the war years.

  CROSSMAN, Richard (1907–74). Labour MP for Coventry, 1945–74; and senior Cabinet Minister in the 1964–70 Wilson governments; his Diaries of a Cabinet Minister were published posthumously.

  CUDLIPP, Hugh. Succeeded Cecil King as Chairman of Daily Mirror Newspapers, 1963–8. Deputy Chairman, then Chairman, of International Publishing Corporation (IPC), 1964–73. Created a life peer in 1974.

  CUNNINGHAM, John (Jack). Labour MP for Whitehaven, 1970–83, Copeland since 1983. Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Energy, 1976–9. PPS to Jim Callaghan, 1972–6.

  DALY, Lawrence. General Secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers, 1968–84, previously General Secretary of Scottish NUM. Member of the TUC General Council, 1978–81.

  DALTON, Hugh (1887–1962). Labour MP for Bishop Auckland. Chancellor of the Exchequer 1945–7. Forced to resign over inadvertent Budget leak in 1947.

  DALYELL, Tam. Labour MP for West Lothian. 1962–83, and Linlithgow since 1983. PPS to Richard Crossman, 1964–70.

  DAVIES, John (1916–79). Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster with responsibility for Europe, 1972–4. Director-General of the Confederation of British Industry, 1965–9. Minister of Technology from July to October 1970, when Mintech was abolished. Secretary of State for Industry, 1970–2. Conservative MP for Knutsford, 1970–8.

  DE FREITAS, Geoffrey (1913–82) Labour MP for Central Nottingham and later Lincoln.

  DELL, Edmund. Secretary of State for Trade, 1976–8. Minister of State at the Board of Trade, 1968–9. and at Employment and Productivity, 1969–70. Joined the SDP. Labour MP for Birkenhead, 1964–79.

  DERER, Vladimir. Secretary, Campaign for Labour Party Democracy.

  DIAMOND, Jack. Chief Secretary to the Treasury, 1964–70. Labour MP for Blackley, 1945–51; Gloucester, 1957–70. Chaired the Royal Commission on the Distribution of Income and Wealth, 1974–9. Created a life peer in 1970 and became leader of the SDP in the House of Lords.

  DONOUGHUE, Bernard. Senior policy adviser to the Prime Minister and head of the Policy Unit at Number 10, 1974–9. Member of staff at the London School of Economics, 1963–74. Created a life peer in 1985.

  DOUGLAS-HOME, Alec. Foreign Secretary, 1960–3, in the House of Lords. Before inheriting his peerage, the Earldom of Home, in 1951 he was Conservative/Unionist MP for Lanark, 1931–51, using his courtesy title of Viscount Dunglass. He succeeded Macmillan and renounced his title in 1963. Prime Minister from October 1963 until October 1964, and MP for Kinross and West Perthshire, 1963–74. In 1974 he was created a life peer and re-entered the Lords as Home of the Hirsel.

  EDEN, Anthony (1897–1977). Conservative MP for Warwick and Leamington. Foreign Secretary, 1951–5. Prime Minister, 1955–7. Created an earl, Lord Avon, in 1961.

  EMMETT, Bryan. Principal Private Secretary to Tony Benn at Department of Energy, 1975–6; subsequently Chief Executive of the Employment Division of the Manpower Services Commission, and Head of the Oil Division at Energy.

  ENNALS, David (1922–95). Secretary of State for Social Services, 1976–9. Secretary of the Labour Party’s International Department, 1958–64. Labour MP for Dover, 1964–70, and Norwich North, 1974–83. Created a life peer in 1983.

  EVANS, loan (1927–84). PPS to Tony Benn as Postmaster General. Government Whip, 1968–70. Labour MP for Yardley, 1964–70, Aberdare, 1974–83, and Cynon Valley, 1983–4.

  EVANS, Moss. General Secretary of the Transport and General Workers’ Union, 1978–85. National Officer of the TGWU, 1969–78.

  FLOWERS, Brian. Chairman of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, 1973–6, and the Standing Commission on Energy and the Environment, 1978–81. Nuclear physicist, Atomic Energy Research Establishment, 1946–58. Rector of Imperial College, 1973–85; Vice-Chancellor of London University since 1985. Created a life peer in 1979.

  FOOT, Michael. Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, 1979–80, and Leader, 1980–3. Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons, 1976–9. Secretary of State for Employment, 1974–6. Labour MP for Devonport, 1945–55, Ebbw Vale, 1960–83, and Blaenau Gwent, 1983–92. Biographer of Aneurin Bevan. Married to Jill Craigie.

  FREEMAN, John. Labour MP for Watford, 1945–55. Later British High Commissioner in India and Ambassador in Washington. Broadcaster.

  GAITSKELL, Hugh (1906–63). Leader of the Labour Party, 1955–63. Held office, 1945–51, as Minister of Fuel and Power, Minister of State for Economic Affairs, and Chancellor of the Exchequer. Labour MP for South Leeds, 1945–63.

  GARDINER, Gerald (1900–90). Lord Chancellor, 1964–70. Created a life peer in 1963. Former Chairman of the National Campaign for the Abolition of Capital Punishment and from 1973–8 Chancellor of the Open University.

  GENTLEMAN, David. Designer of stamps for the GPO in the 1960s. Member of the Design Council, 1974–80.

  GERMAN, Sir Ro
nald (1906–83). Director-General at the GPO from 1960 until his retirement in 1966. Formerly Postmaster-General for British East Africa, 1950–8.

  GILL, Ken. General Secretary, Technical and Supervisory Section of Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers, 1974–88.

  GOODMAN, Arnold (1913–95). Prominent lawyer, adviser to Harold Wilson, 1964–70. Created a life peer in 1965.

  GOODMAN, Geoffrey. Industrial editor of the Daily Mirror, 1969–86; and Head of the Counter-Inflation Publicity Unit, 1975–6. Biographer of Frank Cousins.

  GORDON WALKER, Patrick (1907–80). Foreign Secretary, October 1964–January 1965. He was defeated in the 1964 Election as Labour MP for Smethwick, a seat he had held since 1945. Fought and lost Leyton, 1965, but elected Labour MP for Leyton, 1966–74. Returned to Cabinet as Secretary of State for Education and Science, 1967–8. Created a life peer in 1974.

  GORMLEY, Joe (1917–93). President of the National Union of Mine-workers, 1971–82. Member of the National Executive, 1963–73. Created a life peer in 1982.

  GREENE, Hugh (1910–87). Director-General of the BBC, 1960–9. Daily Telegraph correspondent in Germany in the 1930s; appointed Head of BBC German Service in 1940.

  GREENWOOD, Anthony (1911–82). Colonial Secretary, 1964–5. Minister for Overseas Development, 1965–6. Minister of Housing and Local Government, 1966–70. Chairman of the Labour Party, 1963/4. Labour MP for Heywood and Radcliffe, subsequently Rossendale, 1946–70. Created a life peer in 1970.

  GRIFFITHS, James (Jim) (1890–1975). Labour MP for Llanelli 1936–59. Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, 1955–9.

  GRIGG, John. Journalist and author who inherited the title Baron Altrincham in 1955 and disclaimed it in 1963. Biographer of Lloyd George.

  GRIMOND, Jo (1913–93). Leader of the Liberal Party, 1956–67. Liberal MP for Orkney and Shetland, 1950–83. Created a life peer in 1983. Son-in-law of Lady Violet Bonham Carter.

  GUNTER, Ray (1909–77). Minister of Labour Party, 1964–8. Labour MP for Essex South East, 1945–50, Doncaster, 1950–1, Southwark 1959–72. Resigned from the Labour Party, 1972.

  HAINES, Joe. From 1977–84 senior journalist on the Daily Mirror, political editor of the Mirror Group since 1984. Chief Press Secretary to Harold Wilson, 1969–76, previously political correspondent of the Sun.

  HALL, Glenvil (1887–1962). Labour MP for Colne Valley, 1939–62. Financial Secretary to the Treasury, 1945–50. Chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party, 1950/1.

  HART, Judith (1924–91). Chairman of the Labour Party, 1981/2. Minister for Overseas Development, 1974–5; sacked by Harold Wilson after the Referendum, and reinstated 1977–9. In the 1964–70 Government she was Paymaster-General and Minister for Overseas Development. Labour MP for Lanark, 1959–83, Clydesdale, 1983–7. Married to Tony Hart.

  HATTERSLEY, Roy. Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, 1983–92. Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection, 1976–9. Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 1974–6. Labour MP for Birmingham Sparkbrook since 1964.

  HAWKINS, Sir Arthur. Chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board, 1972–7. Joined CEGB as planning engineer, 1957.

  HAYWARD, Ron. General Secretary of the Labour Party, 1972–82.

  HEALEY, Denis. Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, 1980–3. Chancellor of the Exchequer, 1974–9; Secretary of State for Defence, 1964–70. Labour MP for Leeds South East, 1952–5, and Leeds East, 1955–92. Created a life peer in 1992.

  HEATH, Edward. Conservative MP for Bexley, subsequently Old Bexley and Sidcup since 1950. Leader of the Conservative Party, 1965–75. Prime Minister, 1970–4. Minister of Labour, 1959–60; Lord Privy Seal, 1960–3; Secretary of State for Industry and Trade and President of the Board of Trade, 1963–4.

  HEATHFIELD, Peter. General Secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers since 1984. Previously Secretary of the Derbyshire Area, NUM.

  HEFFER, Eric (1922–91). Labour MP for Walton, Liverpool, 1964–91. Minister of State at the Department of Industry, 1974–5; sacked by Harold Wilson over the Common Market. Chairman of the Labour Party, 1983/4. Married to Doris Heffer.

  HESELTINE, Michael. Minister for Aerospace and Shipping at Department of Trade and Industry, 1972–4. Secretary of State for Environment, 1979–83, and for Defence until his resignation in 1986. Conservative MP for Tavistock, 1966–74, and Henley since 1974. Contested party leadership, 1990.

  HILL, John. Chairman of the UK Atomic Energy Authority, 1967–81, and of British Nuclear Fuels, 1971–83. Member of the Advisory Council on Technology, 1968–70.

  HOGG, Quintin. Conservative MP for St Marylebone, 1963–70. Disclaimed his peerages in 1963 during the contest for the Conservative Party leadership. Previously sat as MP for Oxford City, 1938 to 1950, when he succeeded his father as 2nd Viscount Hailsham. Held ministerial posts in the House of Lords during the 1951–64 Conservative governments, including Secretary of State for Education in 1964. Returned to the Lords with a life peerage in 1970. Lord Chancellor, 1970–4 and 1979–87.

  HOLLAND, Stuart. Labour MP for Vauxhall, 1979–89. Formerly Economic Assistant, Cabinet Office, 1966–7; and Personal Assistant to Prime Minister, 1967–8.

  HOUGHTON, Douglas. Chairman of the PLP, 1967–74. Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, 1964–6; Minister without Portfolio, 1966–7. Labour MP for Sowerby, 1949–74. Created a life peer in 1974.

  HOWE, Geoffrey. Chancellor of the Exchequer, 1979–83. Foreign Secretary, 1983–9. Solicitor-General, 1970–2; and Minister for Trade and Consumer Affairs, 1972–4. Conservative MP for Reigate, 1970–4; Surrey East, 1974–92.

  HUNT, John. Secretary of the Cabinet, 1973–9. Created a life peer, Lord Hunt of Tanworth, in 1980.

  HURD, Douglas. Minister of State, in Foreign and Home Offices, 1979–84. Home Secretary, 1985–9; and Foreign Secretary, 1989–95. Conservative MP for Witney since 1983, for Mid-Oxon, 1974–83. Contested party leadership, 1990.

  INGHAM, Bernard. Chief Press Secretary to the Prime Minister, 1979–90. Director of Information at the Department of Energy, 1974–8; Chief Information Officer at the Department of Employment and Productivity, 1968–73. Reporter on the Yorkshire Post and the Guardian, 1952–67.

  JAY, Douglas. President of the Board of Trade, 1964–7. Labour MP for North Battersea, 1946–83. Created a life peer in 1987.

  JENKINS, Clive. General Secretary of the Association of Scientific Technical and Managerial Staffs, 1970–88. Member of the General Council of the TUC, 1974–8.

  JENKINS, Roy. President of the European Commission, 1977–81. Minister of Aviation, 1964–5; Home Secretary, 1965–7. Chancellor of the Exchequer, 1967–70. Home Secretary, 1974–6. Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, 1970–2. Labour MP for Central Southwark, 1948–50, for Stechford, 1950–76. Leader of the SDP, 1981–3; and SDP MP for Glasgow Hillhead, 1982–7. Created a life peer, Lord Jenkins of Hillhead, in 1987.

  JONES, Elwyn (1909–89). Lord Chancellor, 1974–9. Attorney-General, 1964–70. Labour MP for Plaistow, 1945–50, for West Ham South, 1950–74, and for Newham South, February to May 1974, when he was created a life peer, Lord Elwyn-Jones.

  JONES, Jack. Assistant General Secretary of the Transport and General Workers’ Union, 1963–9, General Secretary, 1969–78. Vice-President of Age Concern since 1978.

  JOSEPH, Keith (1918–95). Secretary of State for Social Services, 1970–4, for Industry, 1979–81; and Education and Science, 1981–6. Junior Minister from 1959–64. Conservative MP for Leeds North East, 1956–87. Created a life peer in 1987.

  KAUFMAN, Gerald. Minister of State, Department of Industry, 1975–9. Labour Party press officer, 1965–70. Previously journalist on Daily Mirror and New Statesman. Labour MP for Manchester Ardwick, 1970–83, and Manchester Gorton since 1983.

  KEARTON, Frank. Chairman and Chief Executive of the British National Oil Corporation, 1975–9. Chairman of Courtaulds, 1964–75. First Chairman of the Industrial Reorganisation Corporation, 1966–8. Created a life peer in 1970.

 
; KING, Cecil (1901–87). Chairman, International Publishing Corporation (IPC), 1963–8. A director of the Bank of England, 1965–8. Chairman of Daily Mirror Newspapers Limited, 1951–63.

  KINNOCK, Neil. Leader of the Labour Party, 1983–92, Chair, 1987/8. Labour MP for Bedwelty, 1970–83, Islwyn, 1983–94

  KNIGHTON, William. Principal Private Secretary to Tony Benn at the Ministry of Technology, 1966–8.

  LANSMAN, Jon. Coordinator of Benn’s deputy leadership campaign, 1981.

  LEE, Jennie (1904–88). Under-Secretary, then Minister at the Department of Education and Science, 1965–70, responsible for establishing the Open University. Chairman of the Labour Party, 1967/8. MP for North Lanark, 1929–31, and Cannock, 1945–70. Widow of Aneurin Bevan, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party. Created a life peer in 1970.

  LESTOR, Joan. Under-Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 1974–5, and at the Department of Education and Science, 1975–6, resigning her post over public-expenditure cuts. UnderSecretary at the Department of Education and Science, 1969–70. Chairman of the Labour Party, 1977/8. Labour MP for Eton and Slough, 1966–83, and Eccles since 1987.

  LEVER, Harold. Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, 1974–9. Financial Secretary to the Treasury, 1967–9; Paymaster-General, 1969–70. Created a life peer, Lord Lever of Manchester, in 1979.

  LIVINGSTONE, Ken. Leader of Greater London Council, 1981–6. Labour MP for Brent East since 1987.

  MABON, Dickson (Dick). Minister of State at the Department of Energy, 1976–9. Chairman of the Labour Committee for Europe and the European Movement between 1974 and 1976. Labour MP for Greenock from 1955. Joined the SDP in 1981 and sat as SDP Member, 1981–3.

  McELHONE, Frank (1929–82). Under-Secretary of State for Scotland, 1975–9. PPS to Tony Benn, 1974–5. Labour MP for Gorbals, 1969–74, Glasgow Queen’s Park, 1974–82.