British Labour Party grandee Tony Benn became the oldest rapper in British politics today when helaunched an album of his most famous speeches set to ambient urban music.
"Tony Benn's greatest hits" includes samples of some of thefinest moments from a political career spanning half a century.
It opens with his prophecy from 1998 that there would beanother war in Iraq and ends with his condemnation of that warmade before thousands of peace protestors in London's Hyde Parklast February.
On other tracks he rails against the euro and coal mineclosures, and muses on the House of Lords and democracy.
Benn, 78, a darling of the British left, said the album,mixed by record producer Charles Bailey, is true to the spiritof his words.
"I'm a rap man, not a spin man," Benn told reporters at thealbum's launch in central London.
"Even though I made some of these speeches 13 years ago,they're all about issues that are still relevant today. WhatCharles has done is bring parliamentary speeches into people'slives," he said.
Bailey was inspired to make the record by Benn's Hyde Parkspeech. "I feel safe promoting Tony Benn because he's honest,"he said.
The album sleeve is covered in photos showing thedevastation caused by the Iraq war. It also includes a moodyblack and white shot of Benn, in his trademark tweed jacket,sitting in Bailey's studio wearing a pair of headphones.