The Benn Diaries: 1940-1990 (126 page)

cuts under the Tories, 608

nationalisation

shipbuilding (1974), 295, 296

Aircraft and Shipbuilding Bill (1976), 367, 376

‘Nationwide’ interview (1970), 222

Neave, Airey, 394, 506–7

murder, 467–8

Nehru, Pandit, 48

Nellist, Dave, 573, 598, 600, 627, 628

Neville, Richard, jailed in
Oz
trial (1971), 245

‘Newsnight’ profile, 494

interview (1987), not used, 602

Nicholas, Harry, 71, 80, 81, 204, 228, 237–8, 260

Nixon, Richard, 225, 330, 344, 416

meeting (1969), 200–1

Watergate scandal (1973), 265, 266, 267, 273

resignation (1974), 298, 456

Nkrumah, Kwame: deposed as President, 146–7

Noel-Baker, Francis, 308

Noel-Baker, Philip, 39, 82

wins Nobel Prize, 82

North Sea oil and gas, 334, 342, 344, 394, 411, 421

blow-out Ekofisk field, 411–12, 419

oil-rig safety, 436–7, 615

renationalisation policy, 525, 526

Northern Ireland, 212–14

troops committed (1969), 212

Bogside massacre (1972), 251–2

divisions within Labour cabinet (1974), 287

emergency powers (1974), 304

Benn advocates withdrawal, 305, 335

IRA: bombings in London, 263, 275, 305, 330, 333–4; bombings in Ulster, 287; Birmingham bombings (1974); 304; Balcombe Street siege (1975), 339; claim murder of Airey Neave (1979), 467; Mountbatten assassination (1979), 479; Brighton bomb (1984), 572–3

Nott, John, 532

Notting Hill riots (1958), 59

nuclear debate, 166, 173–4, 411, 413, 415–16, 553–6

opposition to French tests (1966), 159–60

Non-Proliferation Treaty, 173, 207–8

advance in fast reactors, 206

underground testing in US, 214–15

power stations, 227–8

reprocessing, 333

Carter policy, 411, 413, 414

cost of nuclear power, 530

disarmament talks, 592

Polaris, 593

US bases in Britain, 593, 619

Trident missile, 493, 594, 619, 622

Chernobyl disaster, 619

nuclear reactors, 362–3

fast breeders, 364, 365, 390, 411

reprocessing plant, 376–7

Nutting, Anthony: resignation over Suez, 40, 43

O’Neill, Martin, 628

Orme, Stan, 239, 254, 339, 349, 368, 376, 382, 408, 427, 446, 526, 533

Osborn, Mark, 629

Osborne, Cyril, 106

Owen, Bill, 547

Owen, David (Lord), 373–4, 398, 399, 428, 466, 472, 478, 487, 501, 504

resigns from Shadow Cabinet (1972), 362

Foreign Secretary (1977–9), 400–1, 405, 412, 413, 420, 422, 424, 425–6, 434, 446, 463

Common Market paper, 426–7

describes Benn as phoney and bogus, 494

Founder Member SDP (1981), 503, 510, 531, 535, 579, 593; supporters split and defect to Liberals (1987), 602

Oxford University: Benn at New College, 3–4

Padley, Walter, 70, 81–2

Page, Bruce, 507

Paget, Reginald (Lord), 42, 101

Palliser, Michael, 183

Palme, Olaf, 222–3, 256, 488

Palmer, Arthur, 500

Palmer, John, 577

Pannell, Charles (Lord), 61–2, 91, 101, 102, 117, 250

Pardoe, John, 347, 407, 409, 473

Parker, Lord Chief Justice, 119, 120

Parker, Lady, 119–20

Parker, John, 15

Parker, Sir Peter, 539

Parkhouse, Geoffrey, 621

‘Parkinson Show’ (1979), appearance on, 480–1

Parry, Terry, 339, 534

Part, Sir Antony, 287, 288, 289, 293–4, 295, 296–7, 326–7, 494

Peacocke, Inspector General RUC, 213

Peart, Fred (Lord), 176, 183, 185, 221, 287, 396

Leader of the Commons, 195

Leader of the Lords, 368, 376

peerage renunciation campaign, 25–6, 35, 49–50, 53, 86–94, 99

sympathy from Churchill, 35, 69

lack of support from Gaitskell, 86–7

debarred from the House by Speaker, 89–90

unsuccessful at Election Court, 91–4

Peerage Bill (later Act), 101, 102, 103

Peirce, Gareth, 578

Pelham, David, 98

Penhaligon, David, 530, 546

Pennell, Monty, 343, 344

Penney, Sir William (Lord), 173

Pettifor, Ann, 629

Peyton, John: leadership challenge (1975), 309

Phillips, Morgan, 60, 66

Phoenix, Pat, 562

Pincher, Chapman, 425, 428, 453, 457

Pitt, Terry, 144, 204, 275

Pochin, Sir Edward, 472

poll-tax demonstrations, 617–18, 624–5

Pompidou, Georges, 159–60, 167, 172, 288

calls referendum on Common Market enlargement (1972), 254

death (1974), 285

Ponting, Clive, 574, 575

Poore, Dennis, 284, 290, 311

Postmaster General (1964–6), 117–59

stamp design changes, 125–8, 133, 135–6, 140–3, 153

introduction of Giro, 135

opening of Post Office Tower, 140

Poulson, John 262; arrested, 271

Poulson affair (1973), 262, 271

Powell, Enoch, 53, 69, 99, 229, 250, 274, 277, 349, 408, 494, 509

resignation over estimates, 55, 63, 186

sacked from Shadow Cabinet by Heath after racist speech (1968), 186–7

racial issue raised in election speeches (1970), 229, 230–1

attacked in Benn’s speech, 229–30, 232

recommends votes for Labour against Common Market (1974), 268, 281

attack on Heath (1974), 276

decision not to stand in 1974 election, 281

anti-Common Market stance, 268, 281, 319–20

repatriation speech (1976), 370

Prentice, Reg, 112, 273, 279, 321, 337, 366

crosses over to Tories, 432

Prescott, John 245, 603, 609

press hostility towards Benn, 261–2, 265, 274, 276, 280, 283, 325–6, 397, 481, 539, 558, 559, 560, 562, 576, 640

Price, Chris, 506

Priddle, Robert (Under-Secretary), 458

Primarolo, Dawn, 544, 601

Prior, James (Lord)

leadership challenge (1975), 309

Secretary of State for Employment (1979–81), 493

Privy Council, Benn’s admission into, 117

Profumo, John, 95, 98, 104

proportional representation, Benn’s objection to, 621

Pym, Francis, 424, 535

Tory Chief Whip (1971), 239

Qadhafi, General, 616

Quebec A-bomb agreement (1943), 36

‘Question Time’ (1982), appearance on, 546

Race, Reg, 486, 550–1

Race Relations Act, 438

radio and TV adviser to Labour, 32, 35, 62

Rampton, Sir Jack (Deputy Secretary), 228, 336–7, 339, 340, 358, 362, 363, 399, 402, 436

Ramsey, Archbishop Michael, 98

Ramsbotham, Sir Peter, 415

Raphael, Adam, 494

Read, Kingsley, 438

Reagan, Ronald, 501, 511, 530, 553, 561, 595

visits Britain (1982), 536–7

Reykjavik summit (1986), 592

admirer of Thatcher, 597

redundancies, 458, 608

Rees, Merlyn (Lord Merlyn-Rees), 99, 287, 375, 376, 400, 401, 478, 487, 525, 526

Home Secretary (1976–9), 367, 425–6, 439, 450, 451, 452, 457, 461

Rees-Mogg, William, 370–1, 428

Reid, Jimmy, 260, 301

Reilly, Sir Patrick, 258

republican views, 519

Reykjavik summit (1986), 592

Rhodesia crisis, 155, 166,204, 399

sanctions, 424

Richardson, Jo, 486, 551, 578, 610, 630–1

Ridley, Nicholas (Lord), 241, 387

Rippon, Geoffrey 234

Robens, Alf (Lord), 44, 53, 244; SDP, 510

Roberts, Frank, 178

Robeson, Paul, 58–9

Robinson, Geoffrey, 290, 298, 303

Robinson, Bishop John:
Honest to God
, 96–7, 99

Robinson, Kenneth, 72, 114, 117, 145

Robinson, Svend, 636

Rodgers, Bill (Lord), 161, 240, 250, 272, 362, 368, 280, 427, 501, 504, 508

Founder Member SDP (1981), 503, 510

Rogers, Herbert, 102, 113–14,137, 228, 229, 350, 552

Rooke, Denis, 339

Roosevelt, Franklin D., death of; 17

Rose, Dr Clifford, 517–18, 524

Rose, Kenneth, 103

Ross, Donald, 275

Ross, Willie, 177, 188, 287, 313, 314

Rothschild, Lord, 166, 592

Rowe, Eric (agent), 31

Royal Air Force, wartime service, 5–22

pilot training in Rhodesia, 10–17; gains Wings, 17

leave in Jerusalem, 18–20

Ruddock, Joan, 610

Runcie, Archbishop Robert, 587

Rushdie, Salman:
Satanic Verses
, 616–17

Russell, Bertrand, 63, 347

Ryder, Don: chairmanship NEB, 304–5, 339

Ryland, Bill, 151

St Clair, Malcolm, 88

St John Stevas, Norman, 230, 533, 540–1

salesman: Benn trade books in US, 25

Saunois, Tony, 497, 505

Sawyer, Tom 558, 576

Scanlon, Hugh (Lord), 260, 294, 339–40, 345, 406, 453

Scargill, Arthur, 345, 375, 442–3, 448, 558, 567, 570, 572, 575, 579

Schlesinger, Jim, 455–7

Schmidt, Helmut, 288, 372, 374, 377, 379, 385, 424, 452, 457, 461, 488, 489

Schonfield, Victor, 481

Schreiber, Mark, 609

Secretary of State for Industry (1974–5), 283–322

threat to Concorde, 284,285; saved by Benn, 295; test flight, 297–8

National Enterprise Board, 287, 288, 296

open government policy, 289, 291

nationalisation of shipbuilding (1974), 295, 296

Security Services, Benn’s paper on reform, 452

phone-tapping, 450, 451, 452, 453, 457, 475

Spycatcher
revelations, 592, 595, 600–1, 615; Hyde Park readings by Benn, 601

Sedgemore, Brian (PPS), 375, 378, 392, 393, 439, 462, 477, 568, 569

Sell, Hannah, 619

Sever, John 506

Seyd, Patrick, 576, 577

Shackleton, Edward, 160, 193

Shah of Iran, Benn’s meeting with, 341–3

Shawcross, Sir Hartley (Lord), 60; SDP. 510

Shepherd, Richard, 622

Shinwell, Manny (Lord), 72

Shore, Peter, 65, 107, 108, 114, 122, 138, 144, 146, 156, 157, 162–3, 177, 183, 184, 186, 187, 188, 210, 220, 229–30, 242, 250, 257, 273, 274, 283, 288, 306, 351, 363, 366, 377, 381, 382, 383, 387, 388, 399, 405, 408, 416, 439, 478, 499, 504–5, 516, 525, 613

anti-Common Market, 222, 273, 313, 487, 495

Trade Minister (1974), 286

move to the right, 438

Short, Clare, 592, 610

Short, Edward (Lord Glenamara), 159, 160, 185, 220, 279, 348, 352

Shotton steelworks, 458

Sieff, Edward, 91, 98

Sieff, Lois, 91, 98

Silkin, John, 210, 276, 323, 368, 417, 425, 454, 487, 499, 516, 520, 521, 532; Chief Whip, 195

Silkin, Sam (Lord), 417

Sillars, Jim, 273, 421, 634

Silverman, Sydney, 40, 50, 72, 213

Sirs, Bill, 478

Skinner, Dennis, 317, 349, 436, 448, 450, 516–17, 520, 561, 566, 568, 570–1, 573, 576, 578, 602, 611, 612, 615, 627

Slater, Joe (Lord), 112, 124, 134

appointed Assistant Postmaster General to Benn, 117

Moscow visit (1967), 168

Smith, Charles, 224

Smith, Cyril, 347

Smith, Harry, 584–5

Smith, Sir Howard, 452–3

Smith, Ian, 140, 166, 204, 399

Smith, John, 487, 611, 619

Secretary of State for Trade, 454

Smith, Ned, 570

Smith, Ron, 118

Snow, Peter, 602

Snowdon, Lord, 135

Soames, Christopher (Lord), 165

Soames, Mary, 165–6

Social Democratic Party (SDP), 583

formation (1981), 503, 512–13

supporters, 505

by-election victory at Glasgow Hillhead, 531

defection to Liberals in 1987 splits the party, 601–2

Soley, Clive, 600

Soper, Donald (Lord), 59

Soskice, Frank, 60, 112, 139

Soviet Union visits by Benn: (1960) 73–8; (1969) 205–9; (1987) 603–8

Spearman, Alec, 42

Spencer, Sir Kelvin, 530

Spender, Sir Stephen, 71

Stalin, Joseph, 189, 192, 607, 608

Stanley, Brian, 331, 426

Stansgate, Lord (William Wedgwood Benn), father, 15, 25, 27, 37, 49, 58, 70, 82, 103, 123, 347, 404, 414

peerage, 1

RAF service, 2

letter from Tony Benn, 7–8

son killed in action, 13

Labour MP, 494

Secretary of State for Air (1945), 638

death, 83–5, 86

Stansgate, Margaret (Lady), mother, 2, 10, 12–13, 27, 83, 84, 90, 102, 103, 154, 194, 347, 420, 477, 485, 513, 538, 615, 620–1

Steel, David (MP), 347, 449, 508, 535, 597

Lib-Lab pact (1977), 408, 409

Steel, Sir David (Chairman BP), 334, 343, 344

steelworks closures (1978), 458

Stein, Dr, 515

Stevenson, Adlai, 49

Stewart, Michael (Lord), 114, 155, 159–60, 163, 177, 182, 183, 184, 197, 204, 205, 213, 220, 221, 225

Foreign Secretary: (1964) 122–3; (1968) 185, 227

negative approach, 218

Stockwood, Mervyn, 71, 97–8

Stokes, Sir Donald (Lord), 166

Stokes, Sir John, 628

Stonehouse, John, 97, 180

drowning mystery, 304

move to expel from the House, 307–8

Postmaster General, 195

convicted and jailed, 367

Strachey, John, 34

Strang, Gavin, 610

Strauss, George, 354

strikes and unrest (1977), 432–3, 460

student unrest (1970), 220

Suez War (1956), 38–47, 53

Israeli attack on Egypt, 38

Benn opposes war, 638

Sukarno, Achmad, 113

Summerskill, Edith, 373

Summerskill, Shirley, 527, 540

Sutch, David, 561

Sykes, Richard, assassination, 465

Tatchell, Peter, 527–8, 538, 542

Tatters, Tommy, 597

Taverne, Dick, 245, 255

resignation as Labour MP, 260–1

attacked by Benn, 261

re-election as independent, 263

Taylor, A. J. P., 268

Tebbit, Norman (Lord), 279, 357, 622

anti–Europe, 436

Brighton bomb (1984), 572

Technology, Minister of (1966–70), first Cabinet post, 159–232

saves Harrier jump jet, 166

Moscow trips: (1967) 168–71; (1969) 205–9