European Union | Tony Benn | Oxford Union

Tony Benn answers a question on the EU.
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QUESTIONS:
Do you think that left wing Euro scepticism is overshadowed by UKip and Tory backbenchers?
Would you support withdrawal from the EU?
Filmed on Thursday 7th February 2013
Tony Benn's full address: • Tony Benn | Full Addre...
ABOUT TONY BENN:
Rt Hon Tony Benn was a Member of Parliament for 50 years, and a Cabinet Minister under Harold Wilson and James Callaghan. He served as Minister of Technology, Secretary of State for Energy, Secretary of State for Industry as well as Chairman of the Labour Party.
Benn has topped several polls as the 'most popular politician in Britain'; he has been described as 'one of the few UK politicians to have become more left-wing after holding ministerial office'.
He is currently President of the Stop the War Coalition.
ABOUT THE OXFORD UNION SOCIETY:
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[@ibbobo5162]

I used to write letters to both Enoch and Tony when I was a kid - I still have their very polite and intelligent responses.

[@jdlc903]

Can you share them?

[@jdlc903]

@Smally Bigs indeed,I like both

[@johnlocke1977]

Enoch Powell was a vehement racist to boot.

[@heli0s101]

@@johnlocke1977 He was a prophet.

[@Sagalands]

@Chase Williams I have just read the Hola camp report minutes. To say ‘he was one of the few MPs to speak out against the brutal treatment of Kenyans by British forces’ is a bit crass. It was Labour in opposition who were speaking out. What Powell said was along the lines of we should refuse all responsibilities and point finger firmly at Kenyan Gov and administration. “We cannot, we dare not, in Africa of all places, fall below our highest standards in the acceptance of responsibility”

[@GuyCybershy]

He was right about this and about most things.

[@kapitankapital6580]

here's a shout out to all Left Wing Eurosceptics!

[@kapitankapital6580]

Lol

[@Peace_and_love_24]

@@kapitankapital6580 Paul Embery for Labour leader

[@raynarks]

@Emanuel Camdyn what a lowlife.

[@Xiphactinus]

Represent!

[@matthewwicks1809]

@@Peace_and_love_24 No thank you. Embery and Blue Labour are Vichy-lite. Rather have a movement that doesn't sell out newer progressive ideals in favour of older socialism alone.

[@anarchoutis]

'They're building an empire and I don't want to be a part of it.'

[@awkwardsean5141]

He's right.

[@3rdman4th]

RIP Mr Benn

[@lumpyfishgravy]

Nails it! It was Benn who switched me onto Euroscepticism around 20 years ago. European Democracy cost 60 million lives. Are we going to let it just blow away??

[@kizzagt]

European democracy didn't cost 60 million lives. It was european collectivism that caused all those deaths.

[@kizzagt]

@The Red-Eyed Baron A little hard to protect something which doesn't actually exist. Democracy is properly the most misused word of the english language currently.

[@stephenmcdonagh2795]

@@kizzagt The actual fight to save Europe from Hitler cost sixty million lives. Britain, its empire, and the US gave Western Europe- and other parts of the world- their freedom, protecting them from Bolshevik death by bureaucracy.

[@amancalledjim5382]

the good lefties. patriotic and genuine.

[@joestewart-paul7181]

I agree

[@madgavin7568]

They're a dying breed though sadly.

[@joestewart-paul7181]

@@madgavin7568 I agree. It's a shame we don't have those anymore these days.

[@HC100_]

@@madgavin7568 I don't think its a dying breed, but I definitely agree that the mainstream left has abandoned to a sense the importance of a sense of patriotism. There is a difference in being proud of the achievements of one's nation rather than a more hostile nationalism, although too often nationalism is hijacked for hostile means. The right has always historically appropriated and rebranded ideas from the left, so I think that the left needs to embrace a new progressive kind of patriotism. One that takes pride in taking care of all the citizens who make up the nation, not as a tool of authority and war. Nationalism is not much use when you aren't tackling the large amount of people who are homeless or relying on food banks like the current government.

[@madgavin7568]

@@HC100_ I think you're mistaking nationalism for ultranationalism. Nationalism is a great thing as it unites the people in a nation to, as you say be proud of their own country, its achievements and to defend its status and existence. Ultranationalism is more extreme in that it takes it much further to the point where ultra nationalists believe in a 'greater' nation which results in territorial expansionism which can often does lead to war. Ultra nationalists also tend to take the view that their nation is unique and can do little to no wrong. That in my opinion is the real difference, one is a great thing and the other is a bad thing. I do however agree that the Left needs to be a lot more patriotic and embrace nationalism, supporting the existence of the nation state rather than believing in globalism and supporting institutions like the EU and the UN. They should also take a stand against China which is a dangerous totalitarian regime, instead of helping enrich them through disastrous trade deals.

[@rockit12345678901]

tony benn .. a true bloody legend ..the best m.p There ever was

[@chrisarcher6972]

Abso-fucking-lutely!

[@bradjeffreys9213]

British institution

[@christophertucker4917]

Not bloody

[@ufonisidus]

Agreed the only politician I would ever think of voting for simply because he says what he believes and takes no bullshit

[@keefebaby]

If only we had more mp’s like him who actually used the power of thought

[@gaycha6589]

A man with the courage of his convictions. Not many in politics. Most are either self serving, self righteous or just plain bent crooks.

[@markgable101]

It's remarkable that both Tony Benn and Enoch Powell shared the same views on the so called EU. They both said Britain will eventually cease to be a sovereign state and become a federal province of an undemocratic European state. Our parliamentary democracy, our laws taken over. How correct they were... You can check on KZbin. They both campaigned together in the original referendum. Absolutely remarkable.

[@Kingk1w1]

Charles Upham VC and Bar said exactly the same thing.

[@monty5692]

I know what you mean Mark, but actually if you think that both men were trying to do their best for the people of Great Britain rather than for themselves then it suddenly makes complete sense.

[@HC100_]

@geoffrey collins they aren't though. They agree on some issues but far right and far left are diametrically opposed in terms of ideology, hence why they always end up fighting each other throughout history

[@robertperkin297]

Mark Gable It’s ridiculous to say that Benn and PoweII wanted the anti EU .They both thought would benefit GB. Did they or have they?

[@Martin-wt9co]

Soo... still believe brexit was the right thing even 5 years later ?

[@oct5412]

There's a number of things I disagreed with Tony Benn on, but regardless I always respected him and was able to find common ground with him on many issues. Can't say I ever would've voted Labour, but I honestly wouldn't have minded if this guy had been our PM at some point. RIP Tony, one of the best MPs we ever had.

[@powderandpaint14]

If you agreed with him on some things and would have been happy to see him as PM maybe you're not as Tory as you thought, might be time to have a rethink.

[@upstairssignificance1419]

Best PM we never had. Lovely man.

[@nickxcore74]

Amen to that. It breaks my heart to see how weak the left are now without left wing legends like Tony Benn.

[@BelloBudo007]

What a crystal clear thinker this man is. I really like and appreciate the obvious respect that he has from quite young people in the room too.

[@sephwatson340]

This video is basically why I'm for leaving

[@julianlawrence-ball2279]

Because of Tony I’m proudly Labour, proudly socialist and proudly BREXIT

[@triciacol]

This man's opinion and his TV debate with Roy Jenkins helped me to oppose our joining and that opinion remained unchanged to the present day. These speeches are available on KZbin and his views are remarkable for their accuracy and foresight.

[@rc2869]

The Genius Tony Benn - he was totally correct on this.

[@nightowl7459]

If more Labour politicians were like Tony Benn instead of the the European Union loving career politician's they are now lumbered with, I would gladly start voting Labour again.

[@Xiphactinus]

Blair sent labour straight down the toilet to be honest.

[@tomwhiteley4126]

I support remaining in the EU, but this probably one of the most eloquent and well-stated reasons to leave I've heard since the campaign began.

[@RodavMetal92]

Why are you still in favor of remaining?

[@themanwhotsoldtheworld1388]

You do realize that the creators of the EU are rotschild & the bolshevik right? bolshevik caused millions of deaths before Soviet Union and rotschild financed the rebellion of Lower Canaada/USrael... these are the same people Adolf was fighting against.. we both lost ww2 to the xionist bankers...

[@wholovesyoubabywholovesyou1147]

@@RodavMetal92 because he needs cheap cleaners

[@humanchannel7825]

@@themanwhotsoldtheworld1388 are you actually defending hitler?

[@stephenmcdonagh2795]

If you don't believe the EU was built on subterfuge read the words of Jean Monet- the social called father of the EU project. "Europes nations must be guided towards the superstate without their people understanding what is happening, this can be achieved by successive steps, each disguised as having an economic purpose, but which will eventually and irreversibly, lead to federation". From EEC to EC to EU- the proof is in the pudding. Nobody in the EU parliament has been voted in, do you not believe that our British system, a system used throughout the free world, gives the individual vastly more agency in decisions and who makes them?

[@onethingledtoanother4482]

What you would call a true EU sceptic, opposed joining the eec in 73', supported leave in 79', opposed joining the Euro. These men saw the fallacy from the beginning before anyone else

[@timbookatuncommonsense8778]

Tony Benns veiws are from a pure heart and morality and not made from flexible careerist reasons.

[@markmoore3962]

So sad. What a great man with a great and simple plan. What a legacy ❤️❤️❤️

[@georgemorley1029]

After he finishes talking, we are regaled with the sound of a hundred or more purportedly intelligent people at the Oxford Union trying their hardest to pretend that they haven’t heard what he’s just said.

[@mickfreer9892]

Well stated by Tony Benn - best advocate for leaving the EU - a lack of democracy and questionable ambitions.

[@RobManser77]

The EU is many things, but it’s certainly not lacking in democracy, in fact I genuinely can’t think of a more democratic institution. Every EU law that’s passed has to be voted forward by not one, but two bodies. Both must agree, otherwise the law is not passed. Both those bodies are democratically elected by the people, by entirely separate processes and elections. Not only that, but both bodies are headed up by someone voted in by as many as five separate votes, all of which must agree. The layers of democracy are exhaustive. It’s truly astonishing how anyone could ever describe them as undemocratic.

[@matthewhalsall5743]

@@RobManser77 but the only body that can propose a law is the commission and it is not elected. The who,e thing is set up to give the impression of democracy without actually being democratic

[@RobManser77]

@@matthewhalsall5743 No, that was a lie invented in 2016 to get you to vote for Brexit. The Parliament (fully elected) can propose legislation, see Article 225 of the TFEU and the link below. Furthermore, we need to be clear that whilst the formal draft is drawn up by the Commission (like any civil service would do), this whole process is done alongside the elected Council and the Parliament. So in effect, the actual initiative lies across all three bodies. See the link below. Crucially, the power to pass laws lies only with Council and Parliament, who are separately elected by the people. Only when they both agree can a law be passed. Lastly, it's worth saying that even when that law is passed, nations can simply opt out if they want to, which is why the UK uses the pound, miles and mph in law, serve pints in pubs etc. In fact it's illegal to serve draft beer in litres in the UK. hum.port.ac.uk/europeanstudieshub/learning/module-2-understanding-eu-policy-making/the-right-of-initiative-does-the-commission-have-the-monopoly-of-initiation/

[@matthewhalsall5743]

@@RobManser77 All i can see is the use of the expression "the council can request" nowhere does it say "can require". also clearly individuals cannot propose legislation in response to eg a member of the publics concerns

[@RobManser77]

@@matthewhalsall5743 Sure, they do that via the Parliament. Each district has an MEP. As I said, it’s a modern system designed to be democratic. To call it undemocratic is ridiculous.

[@sl3ptsolong29]

No matter what institution of power that rules us. Whether centalised power be at Westminster or Brussels. Its up to the people to get involved and demand democracy.

[@alberttanner408]

He died 1 week 1 month 1 year after this filming on the 7 Feb 2013 he died 14 March 2014. Bless Him

[@clemalford9768]

A sensible well thought out real left wing reason to leave the EU. Benn had first-hand experience of the EU when he was in government. I voted Leave on his reasoning.

[@the-elite-firmtiger4881]

What a true legend

[@martynfenton4862]

I'm on the right but this guy was great

[@alastor2322]

God bless him-I love him-this should be posted to Jeremy Corbyn

[@chrisarcher6972]

Like JC didn't know. This fucked up country of ours will never have a truly left wing government again, I fear. Working class Tories? Why don't you go out and clap for the destruction of true socialism's greatest ever achievement - Clem Atlee's Welfare State.

[@qasimmir7117]

Chris Archer Yeah, thank goodness.

[@northnsouth6813]

Well said, by a man of principals.

[@SagaciousFrank]

I'm a conservative (small 'c', i.e. not the Tories or UKIP etc.) and Tony Benn was the only socialist whom I know of that I liked and respected.

[@SagaciousFrank]

@@MarkHopewell , really detailed reply, bravo. 👏

[@SagaciousFrank]

@@MarkHopewell , maybe more than two letters to explain what you mean. By the way, I know that BS stands for bullshit, just not sure what you're referring to there.

[@interalia3638]

I was fan of Tony Benn but agree wholeheartedly with his views on the European Union.

[@alexh442]

I could listen to this man all day. What a great politician.

[@djonfonsteen6331]

Bless. RIP integrity!! 🇬🇧🙏❤

[@Baddad36]

Never thought I'd agree with Anthony Wedgwood Benn.

[@honouraryapple]

My word, labour's 2019 Brexit strategy was suchhhh a bad idea

[@yooochoob]

The person responsible for that decision is now the leader!

[@qasimmir7117]

What strategy? There wasn’t one.

[@johnsinclair4111]

A man of enormous integrity and principles, something that we don’t see in our elected representatives today. I completely agree with him about Europe but probably disagree with many other things. That of course is no longer OK. Today we don’t have left and right we have left and wrong. No room for disagreement.

[@BrianLee-qw7vc]

Respect Tony.

[@julast6658]

wonderful man ;-) R I P

[@ChubbyChecker182]

2.mins is all he needed to make a very clear and cohesive viewpoint. 2 and a half years now since the Bexite vote to leave and our current lot of politicians have done nothing.

[@phil4893]

He is, of course, absolutely right. The politicians who disagree with him cannot find a counter argument to this, and simply tell us that it’s all for the greater good and we should all be quiet and go along with it.

[@bradjeffreys9213]

What a man absolute saint great thinker and man who this country owes a lot to

[@parrhasius]

Well said tone! , a rare grass roots campaigner ,

[@barryheath8123]

The best politician this country has ever had.

[@steveellis9288]

A man a genius ahead of his time measured in light years.

[@wiggledytoes]

Damn shame you can only save one video on your featured video for everyone to see, cause this would be one of them

[@channelfogg6629]

Such a simple truth, and one that Remainers still don't understand.

[@daanvos194]

I understand now...

[@monty5692]

God bless him!

[@PaulDowsettUK]

What did you cut out at 2:02?

[@smithkingfive4144]

Dave

[@cervelo9465]

To give clarity, when we fought in WW2, we fought against Hitler's Germany and not against the wider Europe, of course.

[@mdiz4564]

This great generation of WW2 politicians have all gone. Unfortunately we are left with university graduates with worrying ideology and no real life experience to back it up.

[@monty5692]

Perfect.

[@letsride3016]

R.I.P

[@daytonahandful]

Probably the only topic that I agreed with him on.

[@davidring9559]

Here here.. its that simple folks

[@seanmoran2743]

The late Peter Shores 1975 speech was absolutely brilliant

[@BillyBullshitter]

Tony Benn is sorely missed

[@BillyBullshitter]

@@MarkHopewell why what?

[@BillyBullshitter]

@@MarkHopewell great. Thanks

[@haberdasheryandspam]

I'm not a political person but I can listen to Mr Tony Benn

[@viera4]

AN INSPIRATIONAL HUMAN BEING 👏❤

[@lavenderandred_]

The right and the left both have Eurosceptic ideas, but their reasons why they oppose the EU are very different. The right see the EU as an eroding force that chips away at things like national strength, traditions, and a fictionalised racial/cultural identity. The left (correctly) sees the EU as an organisation that allows the power of European neoliberal capital to grow, which in turn is generally bad for both working class people in the EU, and worse for those living in the colonised world. Benn’s analysis was spot on and he’s one of the only parliamentary figures I admire

[@arkroyalrifemoonbasealpha6101]

Great great man

[@countycricklewood]

A man of conviction and principles. A real MP. The utter and complete opposite to Pinnochio Johnson, Rees Mogg and the sitting Tory eunuchs.

[@politicalchanel]

but even now: the EC is made of ministers from each member state; they come from democratic governments and the EC is itself under the rule of member states; I don't really know about the political systems in all the european countries, but is there really any government that is elected? the president, the parliament, the main political party from which prime-ministers and governments come from, yes these are all elected; but the individual ministers that make up a government?

[@whitenightf3]

And I doe declare That noe Forreigne Prince Person Prelate, State or Potentate hath or ought to have any Jurisdiction Power Superiority Preeminence or Authoritie Ecclesiasticall or Spirituall within this Realme Soe helpe me God.

[@szumgejzer1339]

for a second i tought thats creed from the office

[@goldmeistergeneral]

I didn't vote for our 100% tory cabinet ministers to come up with all the ideas of the government, so how does this "unelected commission of the EU" argument work? I still vote for representative MEPs like I do MPs, and just like how my local MP has no position in cabinet, my MEP hasn't got much individual power there either

[@politicalchanel]

Also, how serious of an impact does the fact that the EC is unelected really make? The EC hardly does more than make recommendations to EU states and half the time those recommendations are ignored anyway; a lot of the problems blame on the EU are really due to too little oversight form the EU, it's usually member states that interfere with other member states; if anything the EC should have much more power... although in that scenario it should definitely be more accountable;

[@davidbrock2871]

I can see where Corbyn got his eurosceptic ideology from. Benn was right on many things but not on Europe. He failed to see that the world was no longer a collection of nation states. It had become a collection of large trading blocs. If you chose to live outside those blocs, you would suffer economically and hence socially and politically as is happening with the UK now .

[@clivem24]

Whether you disagreed with his politics, he was a man of great principle and was well worth listening to.

[@philipbeaman5697]

Have seen a few videos now of this man,that have completely changed my views about him,it's amazing how our media can corrupt how we think of somebody,he actually talked a lot of sense,he and Enoch would have made a formidable team together,and maybe we wouldn't be in the utter mess we are now,especially on immigration! And all those wasted years in the corrupt eu could have been avoided

[@siadali7673]

spot on

[@hannahmolloy7054]

can anyone link me to tony benn last appearance campaigning against bombing syria

[@stephenjeffrey9734]

LEGEND

[@kymmzej9173]

I saw the thumbnail and thought he was Creed from The Office

[@pawelsawicki1750]

1:05 Really? in Britain government works for people? That ship has sailed looong ago...everywhere in the world, not in Britain only. Unless it had been people's choice to shut down whole country FOR NO REASON WHATSAEVER and cripple economy...

[@knightstemplar1967]

True words spoken

[@paulmarsh7915]

His son isn't a patch on his father

[@wilsonfisk6626]

His son is a Blairite

[@BarnabyPerrinAldous]

Cue remoaners with their various labels and point/shriek politics...

[@alistairsavoury1074]

There's a big difference between empire and economic block. So, how's it going now, in 2024?

[@colinnixon7055]

i completly agree with toni ben.m.p.!! time to, LEAVE THIS SCLOROTIC EUROPEAN UNION.?

[@kudopoint1]

What did he say that needed edited ?

[@tonysmith5812]

Talks sense.

[@YUSKHAN]

This guy was right

[@HRHooChicken]

This is the single main argument against the EU. The simple fact is that we don't have a say in Europe, and that is frightening. I will be voting to leave, whether it means the UK becomes richer or it nosedives into a recession is of no consideration to me. I'm glad economic arguments were cast aside when deciding whether or not to continue fighting the Germans in WW2!

[@simonwolfers6771]

What about the emboldening of the worst of right wing xenophobia, is that worthy of consideration?

[@HRHooChicken]

Leaving the EU will defang the extreme right and left. Have you not noticed the rise in extremism across the continent because of the EU? The migrant crisis especially has made people desperate for a change in leadership to someone who will actually take action.

[@NewageGamer-ks4zx]

Agree. I want our sovereignty back! Lets keep our own house in order without interference. I've looked at both cases but in the end i can not get over that fact, the eu is not a democracy. This has led me to learn more about Tony Benn and the more vids i see of him, the more I like him. RIP Tony Benn and hopefully June 23rd will be our Independence day.

[@simonwolfers6771]

HRHooChicken It is mainly the right wing that are wanting this EU division that is why they're focusing on immigration and "the migrant crisis". The extremism is caused by US led Neo con war mongering in the ME, you can't bomb countries, eg Iraq, and then not expect blowback. Stop bombing people and help them rebuild instead that way they'll have a future and want to stay in their native countries..

[@simonwolfers6771]

"these barbarians" just those two words says exactly where your mind is at and proves that Brexit mainly appeals to racists, bigots, and xenophobes. Thanks for the affirmation. I rest my case.

[@davidmiles9016]

Great guy, proper labour, the current party should learn their roots

[@politicalchanel]

those are all appointed, are they not? and my understanding is the members of the EC are the equivalent of members of government; so what's really the point of having them directly elected? wouldn't make much of a difference? anyway, I am certain we need the EU or at least something like, to defend and promote common european interests, both within Europe and around the world; if that objective is threatened than by all means we need reform of the EU, but not dissolving

[@matthewhalsall5743]

They should rule by consent, if the public want rid of them it should be possible

[@themanwhotsoldtheworld1388]

I would love to know what Mr. Benn thinks about Adolf and those whom Adolf was at war with... who established the EU in Germany right afterward...

[@aodhfinn]

How right he is .

[@joestewart-paul7181]

Imagine if he was Prime Minister today if he lived and we would be in charge of the Negotiations.

[@Shainito]

Each new President is nominated by the European Council and formally elected by the European Parliament, for a five-year term. As of 2019, the current President is Jean-Claude Juncker, who took office on 1 November 2014. He is a member of the European People's Party (EPP) and is the former Prime Minister of Luxembourg. The European Council: There is one member per member state, but members are bound by their oath of office to represent the general interest of the EU as a whole rather than their home state. One of the 28 is the Commission President (currently Jean-Claude Juncker) proposed by the European Council and elected by the European Parliament. Elections to the European Parliament take place every five years by universal adult suffrage. 751 MEPs are elected to the European Parliament, which has been directly elected since 1979. The democratic systems of each member state and EU governments are nested within each other. The British Prime Minister is not directly-elected either, but is rather elected by the House of Commons. The British Prime Minister is also an elected member of parliament voted in by the people of Maidenhead.

[@county8815]

We miss Tony Benn , I wish to God we had a politician of his morales, ethics and intelligence. Today we have no one near his stature he’s a giant among the giants of politician in the the UK . Sorely sorely missed 😢😢😢

[@KrlKngMrtssn]

No we don't. Talk for yourself

[@pandora8478]

@@KrlKngMrtssntake your own advice.

[@pauldockree9915]

Don McGahn was a subsequent speaker. Oddly - he didn't demand it be behind closed doors, Washington, USA. His Oxford Union appearance. My work here is done.

[@kumarmangalampatravali660]

Correct!

[@caxzrockz]

what is her name chairing the talk?

[@MrEclecticity]

Maria Rioumine

[@cervelo9465]

This video of Benn from 2013 has aged like fine wine, brilliantly. As he eloquently says, correctly, the EU is Anti Democratic and also seeks to creep more and more powers year on year. I voted Brexit along with 52% and finally we accomplished it.

[@rykocolor]

Good points about the non-democratic nature of powerful EU positions.

[@generalkenobi5736]

voting leave eu