Tony Benn: "What a world we would have created if we had listened to him"

LEAP Chair John McDonnell MP pays tribute to Tony Benn

LEAP chair John McDonnell MP spoke in Parliament yesterday (20/03/14) paying tribute to Tony Benn (click to watch via Youtube).

John, who also chairs the Socialist Campaign Group of Labour MPs (founded by Tony Benn), said:

"I want to go back not to the manifesto of 1983, but to Labour’s programme of 1982, which was the Bennite programme, and virtually all of it was written by Tony Benn. It is worth looking back at what it said. It was absolutely prophetic. It basically said, “We will create a society that is more democratic, more fair, more just and more equal.” How would we do it? Tony’s ideas in that programme were straightforward: we would undertake a fundamental, irreversible shift in the redistribution of wealth and power. How would we do that? Through a fair and just tax system, tackling tax evasion and tax avoidance, taking control of the Bank of England, preventing speculation in the City and the banks because it could be dangerous to our long-term economic health, and creating full employment. That is what he was about. That is what he inspired us to do.

"It is interesting that he said we should invest in housing, health and education; give all young people the opportunity to stay on at school with an education maintenance allowance; and make sure that they had a guarantee of an apprenticeship or training and the opportunity to go to university, not by paying a fee but on a grant. That was his programme in 1982. It was prophetic and years in advance of its time. He said that what we needed to create the wealth was an industrial strategy—a manufacturing base based on new technology and skills. Actually, I remember him talking in one of his speeches about alternative energy sources, well in advance of the debate about climate change.

"He inspired my generation and he inspired generations to come. What a world we would have created if we had listened to him. But more important, what a world we can create now if we listen to him.

"Solidarity and go well, comrade. You made a significant contribution to all of our lives. I hope we will be able to implement the lessons you taught us, when Labour next gets back into power."

The above are extracts from John's speech. Read it in full

Student economics

Why fees are unnecessary and how we can fund university education

The Government estimates that in 2010/11 there was 986,357 (full-time equivalent) higher education places.

If each one of these university places was charged at the maximum £9,000 per year, that the Coalition Government intends to allow institutions to levy, then this would raise just under £8.9 billion in annual revenue for higher education.

It is estimated by the Tax Justice Network that tax avoidance costs the UK £25 billion per year . Even if just one-third of this could be reclaimed to the Exchequer, it would avert the need not just for increased fees but for fees at all.

In 2008/09 tuition fees raised £5.8 billion in revenue for UK universities – about one-third of total university funding. This is less than the £6 billion Vodafone avoided in tax this year with HM Revenue & Customs complicity.

If the government fears frightening business, it could instead abolish the upper limit on national insurance contributions, which would raise £11bn enough to eradicate the need for fees and to fund a grant of over £2,000 per student.

But we should not forget graduates already repaying debt.

The total balance outstanding for the UK student loan book (including loans not yet due for repayment) at the end of the financial year 2009-10 was £35.95 billion .

According to the Sunday Times Rich List, the collective wealth of the 1,000 richest people in the UK rose to £335.5bn in 2010.

A one-off 11% wealth tax on this elite group would, at a stroke wipe out the debts of all those who suffered fees under New Labour. This would be a bail-out, although only 2.75% of the size of the £1.3 trillion bail-out of the UK banking system .

John McDonnell MP
LEAP Chair
Andrew Fisher
LEAP Co-ordinator

Download the LEAP Student Economics report, with full references.