The Benn Diaries: 1940-1990

by Benn, Tony

  McGAHEY, Mick. Vice-President, National Union of Mineworkers, 1973–87. President, Scottish Area of the NUM, 1967–87. Chairman of the Communist Party of Great Britain, 1974–8.

  MACLEOD, Iain (1913–70). Leader of the House of Commons, 1961–3, and Chairman of the Conservative Party during that period. Served in the 1951–64 Conservative governments as Minister of Health, Minister of Labour and Colonial Secretary. Chancellor of the Exchequer, June-July 1970. Conservative MP for Enfield, 1950–70.

  MACMILLAN, Harold (1894–1986). Prime Minister from 1957 until his retirement in October 1963, previously Minister of Defence, 1954–5; Foreign Secretary, 1955; and Chancellor of the Exchequer, 1955–7. Created Earl of Stockton, 1984. Conservative MP for Stockton-on-Tees, 1924–9, 1931–45, and for Bromley, 1945–64.

  MANLEY, Ivor. Principal Private Secretary to Tony Benn at the Ministry of Technology, 1968–70. Principal Establishment Officer, Department of Energy, 1974–8, and Deputy Secretary since 1981.

  MARSH, Richard. Minister of Power, 1966–8. Minister of Transport, 1968–9. Labour MP for Greenwich, 1959–71. Resigned his seat and became Chairman of British Railways Board, 1971–6. Created a life peer in 1981, and left the Labour Party.

  MARSHALL, Walter. Chief Scientist, Department of Energy, 1974–7; Deputy Chairman of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, 1975–81. Chairman of the UKAEA, 1981–2, and of the Central Electricity Generating Board since 1982. From 1968–75, Director of the Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Harwell. Created a life peer, Lord Marshall of Goring, in 1985.

  MASON, Roy. Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, 1976–9. Minister of Defence, 1967–8, and of Power, 1968–9; and President of the Board of Trade, 1969–70. Secretary of State for Defence, 1974–6. Labour MP for Barnsley, 1953–87. Created a life peer in 1987.

  MAXWELL, Robert (1923–91). Owner of Pergamon Press and Labour MP for Buckingham, 1964–70, Chairman of the Mirror Group of Newspapers.

  MAYHEW, Christopher. Appointed Minister of Defence for the Royal Navy in 1964, resigned in 1966. Labour MP for South Norfolk, 1945–50; and for Woolwich East, 1951–July 1974, when he resigned from the Labour Party to join the Liberal Party. Sat as a Liberal MP for Woolwich East for three months. Created a life peer in 1981.

  MAYNARD, Joan. Labour MP for Sheffield Brightside, October 1974–87. Vice-Chairman of the Labour Party, 1980/1.

  MEACHER, Michael. Labour MP for Oldham West since 1970. Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Industry, 1974–5, Health and Social Security, 1975–6, and Trade, 1976–9.

  MELLISH, Robert. Labour MP for Bermondsey from 1946 to 1982, when he resigned from the Labour Party and sat as an Independent. Deputy Chairman of the London Docklands Development Corporation from 1981. Government Chief Whip, 1969–70 and 1974–6. Opposition Chief Whip, 1970–4. Created a life peer in 1985.

  MELVILLE, Ronald. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Aviation, subsequently Ministry of Technology, 1966–71.

  MIKARDO, Ian (1908–83). Labour MP for Poplar, 1964–74, and for Bethnal Green and Bow, 1974–87. MP for Reading, and South Reading,1945–59. Chairman of the Labour Party, 1970/1. A close associate of Aneurin Bevan and sometime chairman of the Tribune Group of Labour MPs.

  MILIBAND, Ralph (1924–94). Professor of Politics, Leeds University, 1972–7, and visiting Professor of the Graduate School, City University of New York.

  MONCKTON, Sir Walter. Conservative MP for Bristol West. Minister of Labour, Minister of Defence and Paymaster-General consecutively, 1950–7.

  MORRELL, Frances. Leader of Inner London Education Authority, 1983–7. Political adviser to Tony Benn, 1974–9. Press officer for the National Union of Students and the Fabian Society, 1970–2. Previously a schoolteacher, 1960–9.

  MORRISON, Herbert (1888–1965). Deputy Prime Minister, 1945–51; and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, 1945–55. Foreign Secretary, 1951. Labour MP for South Hackney, East Lewisham and South Lewisham intermittently between 1923–59. Chairman of the Labour Party, 1928/9. Leader of the London County Council, 1934–40. Served in the wartime coalition Cabinet. Created a life peer in 1959.

  MORTIMER, Jim. Chairman, Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service, 1974–81. General Secretary of the Labour Party, 1982–5.

  MULLEY, Fred (1918–95). Secretary for Defence, 1976–9. Minister of Transport, 1969–70, and Secretary of State for Education and Science, 1975–6. Chairman of the Labour Party, 1974/5. Labour MP for Sheffield Park, 1950–83. Created a life peer in 1984.

  MULLIN, Chris. Editor of Arguments for Socialism and Arguments for Democracy by Tony Benn; editor of Tribune, 1982–4. Author of A Very British Coup, and other political novels, and Error of Judgement. Labour MP for Sunderland South since 1987.

  MURRAY, Len. General Secretary of the TUC, 1973–84. Member of the TUC staff from 1947. Created a life peer, 1985.

  ORME, Stan. Labour MP for Salford West, 1964–83, and for Salford East since 1983. Minister of State for Social Security, 1976–7; and Minister for Social Security, 1977–9. Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office, 1974–6. Chairman of the PLP since 1987.

  OWEN, David. Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton, 1966-74, and Plymouth Devonport, 1974–81. Founder member of the SDP, 1981; and sat as SDP Member, 1981–3; SDP MP for Devonport, 1983–92. Minister, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 1976–7; then Foreign Secretary, following Tony Crosland’s death, 1977–9. Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, then Minister of State, at the Department of Health and Social Security, 1974–6. Created a life peer in 1992.

  PAGET, Reginald (1908–90). Labour MP for Northampton, 1945–74. Created a life peer in 1974.

  PANNELL, Charles (1902–80). Minister of Public Building and Works, 1964–6. Labour MP for Leeds West, 1949–74. Created a life peer in 1974.

  PART, Antony (1916-90). Permanent Secretary at the Department of Trade and Industry, 1970-4, and the Department of Industry, 1974–6.

  PEARSON, Denning (Jim). Chairman of Rolls Royce, 1969–70. Joined Rolls Royce in 1932. Member of the NEDC, 1964–70.

  PEAY, Ken. Broadcasting officer, Labour Party headquarters.

  PENNEY, William. Chairman of the Atomic Energy Authority, 1964–7. A wartime pioneer of nuclear weapons. Director of the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment, Aldermaston; and Rector of Imperial College, London, 1967–73. Created a life peer in 1967.

  PLIATZKY, Leo. Under-Secretary at the Treasury, 1967–71, and Second Permanent Secretary, 1971–6. Permanent Secretary at the Department of Trade, 1977–9.

  POWELL, Enoch. Minister of Health, 1960–3. Conservative MP for Wolverhampton South West, 1950–74. Stood down as Conservative candidate in February 1974. United Ulster Unionist MP for Down South, October 1974–9, Official Unionist Party, 1979–87.

  PRENTICE, Reg. Labour MP for East Ham North, 1951–74, Newham North East, 1974–9. Crossed the floor in 1977 and sat on the Conservative benches until 1979. In 1979 he was elected Conservative MP for Daventry and sat for Daventry until 1987; he was Minister for Social Security, 1979–81, in the Conservative Government.

  PRESCOTT, John. Labour MP for Hull East since 1970. Member of European Parliament, 1975–9. Contested Party deputy leadership in 1988.

  PRIMAROLO, Dawn. Secretary of Bristol South East Labour Party, 1979–83. Labour MP for Bristol South since 1987.

  PRIOR, James (Jim). Secretary of State for Employment, 1978–81; Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, 1981–4. Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons, 1972–4. Conservative MP for Lowestoft, 1959–83, and Waveney, 1983–7. Created a life peer in 1987.

  RAMPTON, Jack. Permanent Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Energy, 1974–80. Formerly a senior official at the Ministry of Technology and the Department of Trade and Industry, 1968–74.

  REES, Merlyn. Home Secretary, 1976–9. Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry of Defence, 1965–8, and Home Office, 1968–70. Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, 1974–6. Labour MP for So
uth Leeds, 1963–83, and for Morley and Leeds South, 1983–92. Created a life peer Lord Merlyn-Rees in 1992.

  RICHARDSON, Jo (1923–94). Labour MP for Barking, February 1974–1994. Chair of Labour Party, 1989/90.

  RIDLEY, Nicholas (1929–93). Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Technology, 1970; and Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Trade and Industry, 1970–2. Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 1979–81; Financial Secretary to the Treasury, 1981–3; Secretary of State for Transport, 1983–6, and for the Environment. Conservative MP for Cirencester and Tewkesbury, 1959–XX. Created a life peer in 1992.

  RODGERS, William (Bill). Secretary of State for Transport, 1976–9. Labour MP for Stockton-on-Tees (Teesside, Stockton from 1974), 1962–81. Founder member of the SDP in 1981 and sat as SDP MP for same seat, 1981–3. Created a life peer in 1992.

  ROGERS, Herbert. Election Agent for Tony Benn, 1951–70. Secretary of the East Bristol Independent Labour Party from 1912.

  ROOSEVELT, Franklin D. (1882–1945). President USA, 1933–45.

  ROSS, William (1911–88). Secretary of State for Scotland, 1964–70, and 1974–6. Labour MP for Kilmarnock, 1946–79. Created a life peer in 1979.

  ROTHSCHILD, Lord (Victor Rothschild) (1910–90). Director-General of the Central Policy Review Staff (‘Think Tank’), 1970–4. Scientist and Chairman of Shell Research Ltd, 1963–70. Member of the Central Advisory Committee for Science and Technology, 1969.

  RYLAND, William (1913–88). Managing Director, Telecommunications, at the GPO, 1967–9. In the reorganised Post Office Corporation Ryland became Chairman, 1971–7.

  SAWYER, Tom. National Union of Public Employees’ member of National Executive since 1982. Chair of Labour Party, 1990/1.

  SCANLON, Hugh. President of the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers, 1968–78. AEU organiser, 1947–63. Created a life peer in 1979.

  SCARGILL, Arthur. President of the Yorkshire Area of the National Union of Mineworkers, 1973–81. President of the NUM since 1981.

  SEDGEMORE, Brian. PPS to Tony Benn, 1977–8. Labour MP for Luton West, 1974–9, and for Hackney South and Shoreditch since 1983.

  SHAWCROSS, Hartley. Labour MP for St Helens, 1945–58. Attorney-General, 1945–51. President of Board of Trade, 1951.

  SHINWELL, Emmanuel (Manny) (1884–1986). Chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party, 1964–7. Minister of Fuel and Power and Minister of Defence in the 1945–51 Labour Government. Labour MP for Linlithgow, 1922–4 and 1928–31, for Seaham, 1935–50, and for Easington, 1950–70. Chairman of the Labour Party, 1947/8. Created a life peer in 1970.

  SHORE, Liz. Deputy Chief Medical Officer for the Department of Health and Social Security, 1977–85. Former Post-Graduate Medical Dean, North West Thames Region. Married to Peter Shore.

  SHORE, Peter. Secretary of the State for the Environment, 1976–9. Head of Research Department of the Labour Party, 1959–64. PPS to Harold Wilson, 1965–6. Joint Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Technology, 1966–7. Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, 1967–9. Minister without Portfolio, 1969–70. Secretary of State for Trade, 1974–6. Labour MP for Stepney, subsequently Stepney and Poplar, and then Bethnal Green and Stepney, since 1964. Married to Liz Shore.

  SHORT, Clare. Civil Servant in the Home Office, 1970–5. Labour MP for Birmingham Ladywood since 1983.

  SHORT, Edward. Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, 1972–6; and Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons 1974–6. Government Chief Whip, 1964–6. Postmaster-General, 1966–8. Secretary of State for Education and Science, 1968–70. Labour MP for Newcastle-on-Tyne Central, 1951–76. Created a life peer, Lord Glenamara, in 1976.

  SILKIN, John (1923–87). Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, 1976–9. Chief Whip, 1966–9. Minister of Public Building and Works, 1969–70. Minister for Planning and Local Government, 1974–6. Labour MP for Deptford, 1963–87.

  SILKIN, Sam (1918–88). Attorney-General, 1974–9. Leader of UK delegation to European Assembly, 1968–70. Labour MP for Dulwich, 1964–83. Brother of John Silkin (see above). Created a life peer in 1985.

  SIMON, Brian. Professor of Education and subsequently Emeritus Professor at the University of Leicester. Has published a large number of books on education including Half Way There: Report on the British Comprehensive School Reform (1970) with Caroline Benn.

  SKINNER, Dennis. Labour MP for Bolsover since 1970. Chairman of the Labour Party, 1988/9. President of the Derbyshire NUM, 1966–70.

  SLATER, Joe (1904–77). Assistant Postmaster General, 1964–9. Previously PPS to Hugh Gaitskell and Harold Wilson. Labour MP for Sedgefield, 1950–70. Created a life peer in 1970.

  SMITH, Charles Delacourt (1917–72). General Secretary of the Post Office Engineering Union, 1953–72. Formerly Labour MP for Colchester, 1945–50. Created a life peer in 1967, and was Minister of State at the Ministry of Technology, 1969–70.

  SMITH, Ron. General Secretary of the Union of Post Office Workers, 1957–66.

  STEEL, David. Leader of the Liberal Party, 1976–88; and the joint Leader of the Liberal and Social Democratic Alliance during 1987. Liberal MP for Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles, 1965–83, and Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale since 1983.

  STEWART, Michael (1906–90). Secretary of State for Education and Science, 1964–5; Foreign Secretary, 1965–6; Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, 1966–7; Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary, 1968–70. Labour MP for Fulham East, subsequently Fulham and then Hammersmith and Fulham, 1945–79. Created a life peer in 1979.

  STOKES, Donald. Managing Director and Deputy Chairman, subsequently Chairman, of Leyland Motor Corporation from 1963. Chairman and Managing Director of British Leyland in 1973, President in 1975. Created a life peer in 1969.

  STONEHOUSE, John (1925–88). Minister of State at the Ministry of Technology, 1967–8. Postmaster-General in 1968, and Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, 1969. Labour Co-operative MP for Wednesbury, 1957–74, and Walsall North, 1974, until his resignation in 1976. Imprisoned for fraud, 1976.

  STRACHEY, John (1901–63). Labour MP for Aston, 1929–31, for Dundee 1945–63. Minister of Food, 1946–50. Secretary of State for War, 1950–1.

  TAVERNE, Dick. Labour MP for Lincoln from 1962 until resigning in 1972. Regained the seat in a by-election in 1973, as Democratic Labour candidate, lost it in the October 1974 Election. Financial Secretary to the Treasury, 1969–70.

  THATCHER, Margaret. Leader of the Conservative Party, 1975–90. Prime Minister, 1979–90. Secretary of State for Education and Science, 1970–4; previously a junior Minister in the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance, 1961–4. Conservative MP for Finchley, 1959–92. Created a life peer in 1992.

  THOMAS, George. Speaker of the House of Commons, 1976–83 (Deputy Speaker 1974–6). Minister of State at the Welsh Office, 1966–7, and Commonwealth Office, 1967–8. Secretary of State for Wales, 1968–70. Labour MP for Cardiff Central, 1945–50, Cardiff West, 1950–83 (sat as Speaker from 1976). Created a hereditary peer, Viscount Tonypandy, in 1983.

  THOMSON, George. Chairman of the Labour Committee for Europe, 1972–3; appointed an EEC Commissioner, 1973–7. Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs, 1967–8. Minister without Portfolio, 1968–9. Labour MP for Dundee East, 1952–72. Created a life peer in 1977.

  THORNEYCROFT, Peter (1909–94). Conservative MP for Stafford, subsequently for Monmouth. Chancellor of the Exchequer, 1957–8.

  THORPE, Jeremy. Leader of the Liberal Party, 1967–76. Liberal MP for North Devon, 1959–79.

  TILLING, Henry. Private Secretary to Tony Benn as Postmaster General, 1964–5. Deputy Director of Finance at the GPO, 1965; and subsequently became Secretary of the Post Office, 1973–5

  TODD, Ron. National Organiser of the Transport and General Workers’ Union, 1978–85. General Secretary, 1985–91.

  TREND, Burke (1914–87). Secretary of the Cabinet, 1963–73. Created a life peer in 1974.

  UNDERHILL, Reg. National Ag
ent of the Labour Party, 1972–9. Labour Party official since 1933. Created a life peer in 1979.

  VALLINS, Margaret. Member of Chesterfield Labour Party. District Councillor, 1987–91. Constituency Secretary to Tony Benn since 1984.

  VALLINS, Tom. Member of Chesterfield Labour Party. Election agent to Tony Benn since 1987.

  VARLEY, Eric. Labour MP for Chesterfield, 1964–84. Secretary of State for Energy, 1974–5, exchanging Cabinet jobs with Tony Benn to become Secretary of State for Industry, 1975–9; PPS to Harold Wilson, 1968–9. Retired in 1984 to become Chairman of Coalite Group. Created a life peer in 1990.

  VAUGHAN, Ron. Official driver to Tony Benn at the Ministry of Technology, 1968–70, and at the Departments of Industry and Energy, 1974–90.

  WALKER, Peter. Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, 1979–83, Secretary of State for Wales, 1987–90. Secretary of State for the Environment, 1970–2, and for Trade and Industry, 1972–4. Deputy Chairman of Slater, Walker Securities, 1964–70. Conservative MP for Worcester, 1961–92. Created a life peer in 1992.

  WEATHERILL, Bernard (Jack). Conservative MP for Croydon North East, 1964–83. Speaker of the House of Commons and MP for Croydon North East, 1983–92. Created a life peer in 1992.

  WEINSTOCK, Arnold. Industrialist. Managing Director of GEC since 1963, of Radio and Allied Industries, 1954–63. Created a life peer in 1980.

  WHITELAW, William (Willie). Home Secretary, 1979–83. Secretary of State for Employment, 1973–4; previously Leader of the House of Commons and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, 1972–3. Chairman of the Conservative Party, 1974–5. Created a hereditary peer, Viscount Whitelaw, in 1983.

  WHITTY, Larry. Official of the General and Municipal Workers’ Union, 1973–85. General Secretary of the Labour Party, 1985–94.

  WILLIAMS, Marcia. Personal and Political Secretary to Harold Wilson, 1956–95. Created a life peer, Lady Falkender, in 1976.

  WILLIAMS, Roy. Principal Piivate Secretary to Tony Benn, 1974. Under-Secretary, subsequently Deputy Secretary, of the Department of Industry (later the Department of Trade and Industry).