The Kings versus the Prophets:

My mother was the head of a religious denomination, the Congregational Federation, of which she was President. She devoted her life to the ordination of women, and died just before it happened in the Church of England. She was a very scholarly lady, who read the Old Testament in Hebrew and the New Testament in Greek. Every night we read the bible together. She taught me that it was the story of the conflict between the Kings who had power, and the Prophets who preach righteousness, and that I should support the Prophets against the Kings. It's got me into enormous trouble in my life, but the older I get the more relevant it seems.

At my age - I'm 83, I look back and I have forgotten all the Kings; the Emperors, Presidents, Prime Ministers, Dictators. The people I remember are the teachers - the prophets. I remember people at school who said 'You haven't got it quite right Tony, but you carry on'. I think encouragement is the most important thing in the world and when I die I would like on my gravestone 'Tony Benn. He encouraged us'. I think it's the most wonderful obituary you could possibly have.