Applause for Leeds MP paying tribute to his father, Tony Benn

Mr Benn’s comments about his father, whom he followed into Parliament as the MP for Leeds Central, drew a rare round of applause in the Commons.

Speaking at the end of a debate called to allow the Commons to pay tribute to Tony Benn following his death last week at the age of 88, Hilary Benn told MPs how much Tony Benn, who won 16 elections, “loved” Parliament.

He said his father had been devastated when he was initially barred from entering the Commons upon his own father’s death in 1960 having inherited his peerage, “because it was alleged that his blood was blue”.

Mr Benn told the House: “His blood was never blue, it was the deepest red throughout his life.

“That moment taught him that the right of people to choose who will represent them in this place, the very foundation of our democracy, was never, ever granted by those in power; it had to be fought for.

“He loved this place. He loved the people who built it. Those who helped us in our work. He loved the debate and the argument. But he did not idealise Parliament. He saw it as a means to an end. To be a voice for the movements outside of these walls was seek to change the world for the better, as well as being a voice for the people who send us here and all of whom (we) have the privilege to represent.”