Tony Benn & Desmond Tutu (1931-2021)
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the veteran campaigner against apartheid and oppression has sadly died at 90.
The ‘great and the good’ have wasted no time of course in praising his life, rightly so. In some cases the praise has been a little been one-dimensional. Tutu opposed the Iraq War in 2003 and was a long time supporter of Palestinian rights, being critical of the activities of Israeli Governments in this respect.
These last two points are important because they underline that Tutu’s concern for human rights, and justice while rooted in the fight against apartheid far from ended there.
Tony Benn recorded in his diary a number of meetings and exchanges with Tutu, where they shared some common political aims. Both of course were Christians, but Benn was no more an Archbishop than Tutu was a member of the Labour Party NEC. They worked together around specific issues and injustices.
Benn recorded a discussion he had on Radio 4’s Start the Week programme with Tutu on Monday 16th February 2004. Benn noted ‘It began with Archbishop Desmond Tutu describing truth and reconciliation, talking in that way he does. He’s such a lovely guy, so funny. I said what should I call you? I suppose it will have to be Archbishop, it cant be Desmond! In the Independent he suggested that Blair and Bush should apologise for the war, and it gave me an opportunity to talk about morality in politics-not being successful or profitable but being right…Tutu was an absolute charmer. I got a photograph with him afterwards..
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