Responding to the death of Tony Benn, Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, said: “Tony Benn’s passing is a great loss to the labour movement. He was a huge friend to the Fire Brigades Union and I personally had the honour of sharing a platform with him on many occasions. He spoke at our rallies and marches and attended our schools where he was an inspiration to young trade unionists.
“He was an outstanding figure in British politics and in the British labour movement. He represented a period when there was a great possibility of radical socialist change within the Labour Party. He stood on our side in the huge battles waged against working people by the Thatcher government. No doubt people will try to sanitise his memory but he should be remembered as a radical and a rebel.
“With the tragic loss of Bob Crow earlier this week, this is a very very sad week for the labour movement.”
