Tony Benn ? too thick to be a spy

[Essex Lad]

[beutelwolf]

...or telling a newspaper the story it wants to hear.

[Sam Slater]

That all we get - a link? No thoughts of your own? This is a discussion forum afterall.

[Arginald Valleywater]

Dangerous twat Benn. Would have dry bummed the Politburo at the drop of a hat (brown)...I imagine MI5 and MI6 have interesting files in their archives...

[David Johnson]

Are you serious with this link? Or it a humorous aside?

"Mr Gordievsky said: 'He was an unnecessary simpleton, who told left-wing fairytales and falsified stories.'

This from a bloke who was spying for the KGB in the eighties whilst working for M16 since the seventies. Pot, kettle, anyone?

Gordievsky was the guy who landed the Sunday Times with a substantial out of court settlement when they printed his story of Michael Foot being a KGB spy.

To Gordievsky the BBC was the "Red Service".

Gordievsky probably thinks Father Christmas is a Commie spy because of the colour of his outfit.

[JamesW]

David Johnson wrote:

> To Gordievsky the BBC was the "Red Service".
>
> Gordievsky probably thinks Father Christmas is a Commie spy
> because of the colour of his outfit.


Yes those words of Gordievsky are worth quoting:

"Just listen with attention to the ideological nuances on Radio 4, BBC television, and the BBC World Service, and you will realise that communism is not a dying creed."

[max_tranmere]

Extreme lefties were often put on the 'watch list' years ago. I'm sure he was not dodgy though. He had a huge ego and demanded to be viewed as one of the most significant politicans in the land, in spite of his political career only ever having had modest success, and for some reason editors and producers bowed to his demands. He was never off the TV for decades. I am certain he wasn't a spy though.

[Arginald Valleywater]

A case of ego above talent. As Max says achieved little yet seen as a Labour legend. From what I gather his house was filthy, outdated and he lived off tea and biscuits.
As an aside the old Civil Service Executive Officer exam was a backdoor spy selection. 210/300 was a pass. 235 got you an offer of Home Office. 255 was earmarked for fast tracking. If you got 275 plus, which was very rare then your details were passed to MI5, MI6 and the Diplomatic Core.

[Essex Lad]

Diplomatic Corps not core.

[David Johnson]

"He had a huge ego and demanded to be viewed as one of the most significant politicians in the land, in spite of his political career only ever having had modest success, and for some reason editors and producers bowed to his demands."

Not convinced by you lads' analysis of Benn being the Ant and Dec of Westminster. Or in Max's case, the "Angeline Jolie" of the Houses of Parliament. Mind you Tony Benn didn't get a double mastectomy to get himself on the tele news, eh Max?

MP for nearly 40 years, numerous Cabinet posts gave up his peerage to carry on at Westminster as an MP, brought in Health and Safety Legislation, campaigned against the Iraq war.

Great man, great thinker, hero. Heard him speak a few times. Brilliant.

"A victory of ego over talent", Argie? Mmm, no comment, but very, very funny!