One should be very careful about releasing one's diaries into the public arena. These entries have been selected and edited which, of course, might have had a profound affect upon the way they read but, Tony Benn does not come out of this book well.

No one in their right mind would expect the two Tonys (Benn and Blair) to be bosom buddies, but I had hoped for something rather better than the petty spite which seems to represent Benn's attitude to Blair and the current Labour Party. Benn accepts any tittle tattle that denigrates Labour; even to the extent of sidling up to Ted Heath and Mrs Thatcher.

Tony Benn does not even come out of his meeting with his working class brotherhood well. He appears to like the idea of the working man but not the reality. He longs for those halcyon days when men came up from t'pit and discussed politics in an intellectual fashion. Tony, I've got some bad news for you: it didn't exist. The only area in which Benn shows a true working man's attitude is towards his wife. He obviously loved Caroline, indeed, the only heartfelt emotion spills out when he writes about her death - and yes, I admit that the raw intensity made me cry as I read it. During her illness, however, we keep getting these statements of intent, to reduce political work and support Caroline. Two days on, the initial panic is over and it is back to normal.

Sorry Tony, I am not an expert, but this book of entries is that of an embittered politician who cannot accept that time has moved on. ( )

Winstone, Ruth (Editor)