183 Quotes by Tony Benn

Of course, Mao made his mistakes, because everybody does, but at least he allowed working people to smoke, even in the most trying circumstances, such as when, for one reason or another, they found themselves up before the firing squad.

Clare Short, who today poses as an anti-war warrior but was six years ago Blair's cheerleader-in-chief for bombing Yugoslavia. After the attack on Radio-Televizija Jugoslavenska she said, 'The propaganda machine is prolonging the war and it's a legitimate target'. Amnesty International pointed out 'intentionally directing attacks against civilian objects is a war crime under the Rome Statutes of the International Criminal Court'.

I think democracy is the most revolutionary thing in the world….because if you have power you use it to meet the needs of you and your community.

An educated, healthy and confident nation is harder to govern.

A faith is something you die for; a doctrine is something you kill for; there is all the difference in the world

Through me the energy policy of the whole Common Market is being held up. Without opening old wounds, it pleases me no end.

I've made every mistake - but mistakes are how you learn.

I think the truth is that the Labour Party isn't believed any more because people suspect it will say anything to get votes. The rebuilding of some radical alternatives to Thatcherism - and by that I mean all-party Thatcherism - will require us to do some very difficult things

Making mistakes is part of life. The only things I would feel ashamed of would be if I had said things I hadn't believed in order to get on. Some politicians do do that.