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Our President

Tony Benn

Marconi Sailing Club's next-door-neighbour on the River Blackwater is the former MP Tony Benn.  Famous for his decision to renounce the title associated with Stansgate, Tony Benn retired from the House of Commons in May 2001, after fifty years in Parliament, to 'devote more time to politics', the longest serving Labour MP in the history of the party, which he joined in 1942.

He was a Cabinet minister in the Wilson and Callaghan governments from 1964 - 79, as Minister of Technology, Secretary of State for both Industry and Energy and President of the Council of European Energy ministers in 1977.

The close friendship  goes beyond the merely geographical as Tony Benn agreed some years ago to take on the role of President of our sailing club.