Scottish Catholic Observer

The 88-year-old former MP had been seriously ill.

Mr Benn became an MP in November 1950 and served in the cabinet under Harold Wilson and James Callaghan.

A major figure on the left of the party, he narrowly missed out on the deputy leadership in 1981 and was a popular public speaker, anti-war campaigner and political diarist.

In a statement, his children Stephen, Hilary, Melissa and Joshua said that Mr Benn died peacefully early this morning at his home in west London surrounded by his family.

“We will miss above all his love which has sustained us throughout our lives,” the family said. “But we are comforted by the memory of his long, full and inspiring life and so proud of his devotion to helping others as he sought to change the world for the better.”

He often described himself as a Christian socialist and said he was blessed to have had ‘the advantage of a radical Christian upbringing.’