Benn bequeaths diaries to British Library
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.TONY BENN'S political archives will stretch for almost half a mile on British Library shelves when the former Viscount bequeaths them on his death, it emerged yesterday, writes Marianne Macdonald.
But the collection will not be untouched. The Labour MP has stipulated his most private papers must be censored to avoid libelling or offending political contemporaries. Some personal family references will also be removed.
The condition was agreed with Dr Alice Prochaska, director of special collections at the British Library. She said: 'It would be quite wrong to go on about censorship. But we've discussed the principle.' Some letters and diary entries will be kept back until an agreed date. The papers, at present divided between garden sheds, his basement office in Holland Park, west London, and a garage, include all Mr Benn's speeches since 1946, hundreds of Labour party documents, conference reports, press cuttings and pamphlets.
There are 13 boxes of political correspondence alone and the Benn diaries, transcribed from original tapes. The Labour MP spends an hour a day dictating the daily accounts.
The final home of the archive has been the subject of years of debate and is considered a triumph for the British Library. It will be of immense value to 20th-century historians of government, industrial policy and the Labour Party.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments