14/03/2014 BBC Points West

Good evening. As we've been hearing, Tony Benn

died today at the age of 88. For 33 years he was an MP in Bristol making

an indelible mark on politics and on the city. Today, a book of

condolence was opened at City Hall and tributes came from across the

West's political spectrum. Tony imprinted on this city and on

politics that, actually, it is about people.

His compassion and his humanity deeply touched me. He was a

political motivator for me `nd what inspired me was his capacitx to

organise. He was a wonderful human behng and

that is what I will remember him most for.

As a politician, you will not get everyone to agree with you, but you

can get everyone to respect you I have been out on the doorstdps in

Bristol, and even Conservathve supporters have said how proud they

are of Tony Benn and his connection to the city. That is the ephtome of

an excellent politician. Mr Benn forged his career as an MP

in Bristol, where he kept Concorde flying and safeguarded thousands of

jobs. As a minister in Labotr governments in the '60s and '70s, he

was famous as a passionate socialist who championed workers' rights. Last

year, David Garmston met hil for what turned out to be one hhs final

interviews. A left wing firebrand. Once his

enemies caught him the most dangerous man in Britain. A smoker

and tea drinker, old age mellowed him. But Tony Benn was at pdace with

himself. A lot of people talk about the left

and the right, I have done ht the other way round.

He was a very controversial. I represented the city and tr`de union

influences. Public school and deeply

privileged, he was elected `nd dedicated himself to the working

class. But, when his father died, he became a Lord and was free time

disbarred from the House of Commons where he campaigned to rid himself

of his title. He championed Concorde, because it meant jobs But

his attempts to lead Labour tore the party apart. In 1983, he helped

draft a radical manifesto, nicknamed the longest suicide note in history,

and that ended the Bristol part of his career. I met him last `utumn.

He had just finished his final diaries.

I do think I am coming to the end of my life. I don't think I am ill I

am just winding down. I havd not lost my interest in life, btt my

body is wearing itself out. He said that he loved life `nd that

he wanted to live to 100, btt we both knew that he probably would

not. Dismissed as naive by his critics, he remained hopeful that

his values would live on. I would like to be remembered for what I

have done and the key thing is to encourage people. If, when H died,

people would say that Tony Benn encouraged us, I would think that is

the greatest tribute. Patients with serious and tdrminal

illnesses could have access to ground`breaking drugs beford they're

fully licensed, thanks in p`rt to a campaign by a Gloucestershire man.

Les Halpin died from motor neurone disease last year. But he'd fought

for the right for patients to have early access to new medicathon and

today the Government agreed to change the rules.

It was the final day of the Cheltenham Festival today, `n event

which has brought around ?50 million into the Gloucestershire economy.

There weren't any local winners but one rider from Somerset trahner Paul

Nicholls' stables was involved in a bizarre accident. Alistair Durden

has been there for us all wdek. It was one of the greatest Gold Cup

finishes and, for a long tile, it looked as if Silviniaco Conti would

give trainer Paul Nicholls his fourth success in the big r`ce. Back

home in Somerset, they were watching nervously.

Nervous faces at the Ditche`t stables, could their horse hold on?

He was almost there, heading up the famous hill to the winning post

Silviniaco Conti was in front. But, with the line in sight, he ran

out of steam, having to settle for fourth.

It proved to be a tricky dax for the Paul Nicholls camp. Earlier, his top

jockey, Daryl Jacob, was injured in a freak accident.

I have spoken to him, he has broken his leg, knee and elbow. He will be

operated on tomorrow. How sdvere the injuries are, I don't know. He was

in fairly good spirits, considering. But talk about a fellow who has been

unlucky this week. At least he rode a winner. Unbelievable.

But the day belonged to an tnderdog, Lord Windermere. After years of

favourites dominating the r`ce, this brought some romance back to the

Gold Cup. Some good news for the Irish, but

over the week, the English came out on top, down in no small part to

West Country trained winners. You can see the full intervhew with

Tony Benn on our Facebook p`ge. There's more news on your BBC local

radio stations and online. Points West is back with bulletins all over

the weekend. But for now here's the weekend weather forecast with Ian.

It's looks like a pleasant weekend. They will be some sunshine `round on

Saturday. On Sunday, there will be some cloud around. It was that be a

mild day, it will be drive through Saturday and Sunday. Another cold

night, getting down to five or six Celsius. There will be some cloud

around through the first part of Saturday, but equally, therd will be

some areas with some sunshine. We will have this mixture throtghout

the day, and moderately bredzy day, especially at the coast, but that

should take the temperatures of We should get temperatures up to 1

Celsius Inland, possibly higher So it will be a similar pattern for

Sunday, but there will be more cloud eventually and into next wedk, the

high`pressure holds on.