Tony Benn still tackles troublesome topics at 85

You'd expect him to have slowed down, writes Andy Richardson.

Tony Benn has, however, always been one to confound expectation. And, at 85-years-young, he continues to plough his own furrow.

Though long since retired from Parliament, the lifelong left-winger has a jam-packed schedule that would cause many half his age to baulk.

He continues to write and present his An Evening With Show at regular intervals and his most recent appearance in Shropshire was in July, when he stepped into the breach created by absent Tory stalwart Ann Widdecombe, at the Church Stretton and South Shropshire Arts Festival.

Mr Benn also regularly appears in Ludlow and Shrewsbury.

"I seem to have been made very welcome in Shropshire," he says, as he looks forward to another local appearance, this time at Oakengates Theatre @ The Place on October 28.

"People have always been very polite and kind. They have been particularly good at putting across their points, and those points are often very good. My evening in Telford will be a discussion, which will be very relaxed and easy going. Once we've warmed up, we'll move onto more difficult things."

Ah yes, 'difficult things', like the war in Afghanistan, the formation of a coalition government and environmental disasters around the world.

"Well," he says, in an authoritative tone reminiscent of his days as a minister in Government, "I'm very much opposed to the Afghanistan war. There's been a lot of information leaking regarding the truth about what is going on. I also believe that whatever the supposed merits of the war, we're simply not winning it. We are losing a great number of our servicemen in Afghanistan."

Okay, what does he make of the Coalition Government? "I think the Conservative Party has really taken over the Liberal Party and offered in return five ministerial jobs. The Liberals have had to go along with the cuts that the Conservatives wanted to make.

"I think that will cause a lot of anxiety among rank and file Liberals who have been opposed to Conservatives for generations. I think in coalitions, the more progressive party always suffers long term harm."

Time's running out. Should we do more to safeguard the environment?

"A lot of people recognise that if we go on behaving as we are there will be a serious build-up of problems that will affect many people. Environmentally responsible policies will find support of a great many people."

Okay, last one. Which is better, being in Parliament of being outside? "Not being a member of parliament means you are not asking anyone to vote for you. I am free to make the arguments without wanting to get anything out of it. But I am glad that I had a long time in Parliament because I understand what Governments can and can't do."

It's the perfect politicians' answer.

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