Denis Healey's last broadcast interview - Newsnight

Lord Denis Healey died this weekend at the age of 98. Lewis Goodall spoke to him about his life and legacy just a few week's before his death.
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[@system1912]

"I am a young man what the fucking hell is he talking about?" Hilarious to the last. I'm very much on the left of the Labour party but I liked Mr. Healey.

[@Treviscoe]

LOL once he got to his nineties I think he just didn't care what he said. He flirted profusely with the female reporters the Telegraph sent to interview him.

[@rayglover8697]

I always liked Dennis Healey despite the fact my politics are left of his - he stood out as a proper humanitarian - inteligent and measured and witty - only today 15/01/2024 have I read that he was born in the same 'Kent' village as me(not in Kent at all - London Borough of Greenwich SE9 - Mottingham). I think they moved the boundary when I was a lad - remember walking at the top of my road(Chapel Farm ) turn left and about 100 yards greeted with a road sign - " Welcome to Kent".

[@politicalphilosophy-thegre3894]

Thanks for posting.

[@francisbacon7738]

Dear old Dennis, I read his autobiography about 20 + years ago. I couldn't get over how brilliant it was.

[@igolfjtweetler4097]

He was my favourite politician as a child growing up in the 70s.

[@OladeleOsinuga]

A true Labour great and describing him as the best PM Britain never had is quite apt. He was a politician that had an hinterland - as he describes it having interests outside politics. A politician who represented the good in British society where irrespective of party affiliation talent, endeavour and meritocracy are rewarded. As a politician following his frontline experiences during the WW2 in which he was mentioned in the despatches he was a strong believer in the internationalist nature of politics that is Europe, the Commonwealth and multilateralism. His autobiography 'time of my life' is recommended reading. He had a good innings. May his blessed soul RIP, amen.

[@WestYorkshireGREAT]

i am to young to have known his time in his prime, parliment or office what was he like?

[@OladeleOsinuga]

+West Yorkshire his autobiography 'time of my life' is one that I recommend where the Healey explains in his own words his ideas, values and philosophy. See www.amazon.co.uk/Time-My-Life-Denis-Healey/dp/1842751549/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1444202046&sr=8-1&keywords=time+of+my+life+-+healey

[@AngelsOfAresED]

+West Yorkshire a great mediator and pragmatist, whilst being utterly compassionate and maintaining his vision - for this country to be a better place. He was respectful to everybody regardless of political beliefs, truly the real deal when it comes to politicians.

[@francisbacon7738]

Brillaint, brilliant man. A hero in my eyes

[@marklindsay1581]

Good man we need his sort today

[@pepperedmoth2]

seemed like a lovely man. rip

[@chrish2359]

1:51: Didn't see that coming haha, never mess with Healey whatever his age

[@jimthompson939]

Priceless, well timed subtly delivered f-bomb.

[@perkinscrane]

@@jimthompson939 according to Anthony Howard, Healey was much given to bad language.

[@insertclevername4123]

@@perkinscrane According to other interviews I've seen, I think that could be changed to "according to everyone who ever worked with him." (And based on what I've heard about his memoirs, according to Healey himself.)

[@insertclevername4123]

@@perkinscrane Bizarrely enough, two days after posting my reply I was listening to a lecture that quoted Healey from his memoirs about the fights in Labour during the IMF crisis: "One day, returning to the chamber after a vote, one of the rebels used demotic language to question my paternity. I replied by using similar language to praise his virility several times."

[@politicalphilosophy-thegre3894]

In reality Healey was a much more intelligent politician than Benn and would have stood a far greater chance of being elected. He could have stopped Thatcher in her tracks in 1983.

[@harrymason8982]

I hope your re united with your beloved wife R.I.P Denis.

[@littleshoemaker]

God bless you Denis. RIP.

[@shwan7504]

bbc reporter : ''if you were a young man..'' Healey: '' IAM A YOUNG MAN WHAT THE FUCKING HELL YOU TALKING ABOUT''

[@shanecagney7451]

Important to have leaders with personal experience of war.

[@beethovenbrahmsbach]

He was great.

[@naturalsystah]

R.I.P.

[@brianwarden7250]

Brilliant, and a bull, not afraid to fight.

[@johnsbox]

Certainly surprised me with his language using the 'f' word at 1.50, as I thought he never used such language. Besides, his mind was still very sharp at the age of 98 judging by his comments. The eyebrows were his hallmark. Whatever your political colours, one of the big guns of British politics.

[@system1912]

He always had a gutter mouth. The man was a described as a brute by Labour party contemporaries. But I can't help but like the man.

[@sandletters39]

I wouldn't be surprised. His brother Terry lived in the same village 😂 as me until his passing, and I recall that he was known to do some V-sign gestures at a rival coach travelling party. 😂

[@Gizo02]

A political titan. Also despite his battle with Tony Benn for the deputy leadership and soul of the party in the early 80s, it’s very wrong for people to call him a proto-Blairite. He spoke out strongly against most of Blair’s controversial policies such as the illegal war in Iraq, university top-up fees breaking his 2001 election pledge and foundation hospitals.

[@robcoates]

I'm 98, so I can say whatever the FUCK I want!

[@cBearTV-]

I love how shocked I am every time I hear someone in their eighties or nineties swear like.... Yep that wakes you up. RIP Denis a proper political bruiser

[@MagicNash89]

Wait, what did he finish his anwer about class war today with? "But now no diggers(?) are bugger(?) it"

[@ChrisJB]

A UK political colossus was Denis Healey. Brilliant as always. Rest in peace. ❤

[@chrismccartney8668]

God Bless Him like many of the wartime generation it was the horrors successes disasters of ww2 that drove they saw that working together planning could bring victory against evil and then decided to plan for a better life FOR ALL NOT THE FEW BUT THE MANY With NHS Social Security Pensions he not alone Tory Govt had new plans for Post War in particular housing ....

[@19sept76]

RIP a gentleman of British politics

[@Ampex196]

Yes, Denis was a true and PROPER statesman. He would have become a truly great Prime Minister if the hard left of the party had not stupidly promoted Michael Foot. Years later ... David Miliband would have won a general election for Labour were it not for his inept brother standing against him. I hate to say it, but to some extent, people deserve what they get if they believe the lies they read in the 'popular' press etc. Margaret Thatcher famously denied the very existence of 'Society'. Every man for himself was the tory doctrine just as it is today - dividing wealth and poverty. The traditional tory politics of GREED seems to be winning! They've just got a bit better at hiding their evil intentions. I'm now of an age where I'm largely unaffected, though it pains me to witness what is happening in the same 'Society' of which Thatcher said: "there is no such thing"!

[@MarkHarrison733]

@@Ampex196 David Miliband was unelectable due to his involvement in torture, and his refusal to acknowledge the invasion of Iraq was wrong.

[@poppins9992]

What a silly billy.

[@raymondsawyer8626]

One of the Labour political giants

[@RonWylie-gk5lc]

A wonderful honest to goodness socialist. Apart from a very small honorable few { Mr Corbyn is one of the others } the politicians of today look very poor. The words he wrote at the begining of this are even truer today. He was also incredibly funny man, I remember Paxman saying that he was such a pro, even in the middle of a angry interview he knew when the camera was NOT on him and used to stick two fingers up at Paxo lol.

[@fantablum]

is he dead?????

[@MobinKiadeh]

fantablum yeah he died two years ago at the age of 98

[@iainrobertson5670]

The class war is over Now we have the identity war, all because of Tony Blair

[@trevorkeyes1639]

he was my favourite of all politicians. silly billy.

[@trevorkeyes6067]

silly billy

[@bluesboy54321]

A wonderful man. But the class war over? I don’t think so.

[@incredibleXMan]

Well the war may not be over but the working class in this country are certainly not fighting it. They do not care as he said.

[@chrismccartney8668]

Dennis when was going round meeting voters a Tory Voter said Dennis Wear your Medals all Tories will and you was at Normandy as a Beachmaster make sure the voters know you were in the thick of it...

[@roddyteague6246]

It was standard practice for Tories to turn up at selection meetings wearing their gongs. Denis demonstrated that he had really been in the thick of it as a Beachmaster at Anzio in 1943. At least a thousand miles away & a year earlier than Normandy in 1944.

[@trevorkeyes1639]

he would of been a great labour leader.

[@ysgol3]

Dead now thank God - awful awful man.

[@stevebaker6149]

He was a dreadful politician but you should leave it to the Left to celebrate the death of a politician who had family and friends who loved him.

[@ysgol3]

@@stevebaker6149 LOL presumably you are THE Steve Baker because your comment made no sense at all!

[@stevebaker6149]

No! Not that one.......My point was that however much we may dislike a politician, in a democracy, people should not express satisfaction when they die. But that's my own personal feeling.

[@MarkHarrison733]

@@stevebaker6149 The Left hated Healey.

[@stevebaker6149]

@@MarkHarrison733 The far left......