Tony Benn and my secret shame

Not only does he look really good with a pipe, something I aspire to in old age when it probably won't make that much difference what I do to my lungs, he is man who isn't afraid to speak his mind.

The former MP served with distinction for 50 years and is still good value whenever he appears on TV shows - whether you agree with him or not.

So why then didn't I go and see him when he visited Bexhill last week?

Well, for a start I was busy anyway and couldn't make it.

And even if I could've met him I would have been, how to put this ....embarrassed.

You see, I once did something to this great Parliamentarian who commands cross-party respect that I deeply regret.

I heckled him.

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Keep it down.

I didn't know any better. I was young, foolish and going for a cheap laugh. Which, apart from the young bit, would probably be a fair description of me now, but I digress.

Picture the scene, it's a conference in London held for A-level students and various political figures are giving talks.

Tony Benn goes into one of his sermons which, although interesting to begin with, did seem to drag on a bit compared to the other speakers. I probably had a short attention span as an 18-year-old anyway.

Towards the end of this very long, winding rhetoric, he looks at the audience and says, "But I'm getting old ..."

"So are we," I piped up, much to the horror and, it has to be said, partial amusement of my teacher.

Still not sure how I got away with it actually. Maybe I had enough swottiness credit in the bank for him to cut me some slack. Or he was a closet right-winger.

Anyway, I thought it was terribly cool (it's only later you come to understand that 'cool' in the company of dozens of economics students is a very relative thing) and sat back in my seat comfortable my peers had chuckled at my satirical genius.

Obviously I now realise it's more likely they were chuckling at me being a bit of a prat.

Not that Benn cared. The consummate political professional he carried straight on.

I wouldn't think he remembers it now.

I do though. And every time I see him on TV saying something admirable I tell myself off.

So I hope Bexhilians enjoyed his visit and found his forthright opinions stimulating whether they are in to politics or not. I know a fair few got to shake his hand.

I just wouldn't have been able to look him in the eye.