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Original poster

Michael Foot has died, aged 96.

43 replies

policywonk · 03/03/2010 12:26

RIP. He was a good man.

OP posts:
Molesworth · 03/03/2010 12:28

Sad news

witchwithallthetrimmings · 03/03/2010 12:30

oh how sad
he was so good and clever - but not astute!
do you think we will ever get someone like him again in politics?

Original poster
policywonk · 03/03/2010 12:31

witch - not leading a major party, certainly!

OP posts:
shonaspurtle · 03/03/2010 12:33

He was a good man.

And given our society is even more obsessed with outward appearances that back then, no I don't think we'll see his like again in mainstream politics.

ilovemydogandmrobama · 03/03/2010 12:35

Conviction politician.

RIP, Mr Foot...

MarthaFarquhar · 03/03/2010 12:37

How sad.
RIP

Besom · 03/03/2010 12:39

RIP

seeker · 03/03/2010 12:41

An inveterate peacemonger!

witchwithallthetrimmings · 03/03/2010 12:42

whats the betting if he had come on here that he would have told us amazing stories of how 19th century socialist mothers protested against the corn laws

seeker · 03/03/2010 12:45

No, that's Tony Benn!

Bucharest · 03/03/2010 12:47

Liked Michael Foot.

There's only Tony Benn left then of the old but good 'uns.

WilfSell · 03/03/2010 12:53

Awww. The Foots are a good family full stop.

bibbitybobbityhat · 03/03/2010 12:55

Am I being hopelessly naieve to think that Alan Johnson has something of the Michael Foot about him? (as in old fashioned conviction politician).

Sad to see him go. Wonder if he will be buried in his donkey jacket?

tartyhighheels · 03/03/2010 12:56

Oh that's such a shame

lambanana · 03/03/2010 13:10

Agree with Bucharest

abride · 03/03/2010 13:49

I disagreed with Michael Foot on many things politically (or would have, if I'd been old enough) but he did seem like a very genuine human being, untainted by focus groups and spin, etc.

Original poster
policywonk · 03/03/2010 13:56

My mother met him once, at the Kinnocks' house . She said he was amazing, but that he was so animated in his conversation that he worked his way down between the sofa cushions and was eventually almost entirely swallowed. But still talking.

OP posts:
abride · 03/03/2010 14:00

That's a lovely image.

teamcullen · 03/03/2010 21:01

My Dad did The Peoples March for Jobs in 1981 and 1983. They finninshed at Hyde Park and my dad took me over to meet Michael Foot who was there giving a speach.

We used to get Christmas cards from him and Tony Benn. In fact I was given a signed book from Tony Benn.( I wonder what my dad did with that)

I wasnt the least bit interested back then at the age of about 7 but I understood that he was a very good man, for the working class.

RIP

GrimmaTheNome · 03/03/2010 21:03

A good man but unfortunately a disaster as a leader of the Labour party.

choosyfloosy · 03/03/2010 21:06

I loved his biography of Aneurin Bevan although it wasn't exactly balanced!

shallishanti · 03/03/2010 21:08

what a shame
are there any left like him now?

Lemonmeringue · 03/03/2010 21:08

To answer witchwithallthetrimmings: No. Dennis Healey mentioned the donkey jacket this morning on Radio 5, and the presenter fell upon his dress sense as, obviously, the most important thing about him. He didn't really stand a chance in the 80s - can you imagine the reception he'd get now?

nickytwotimes · 03/03/2010 21:09

Agree he was a good man.

One of the last few good 'uns maybe?

SpringHeeledJack · 03/03/2010 21:10

Apparently the "donkey jacket" was from Jaeger

Poor man utterly (wilfully) misunderstood and misrepresented