Congress General Secretary David Begg has paid warm tribute to the late Tony Benn, who died on Friday (14th March).

Begg said: “Tony Benn was the outstanding political figure of his age and, indeed, one of the brightest stars of the wider labour movement. He was a giant of his generation.

“His enduring honesty and integrity won him respect across the political spectrum, even as his insistence on speaking truth to power caused great discomfort in many circles.

“He had an unshakeable faith in human nature and this was the cornerstone on which rested a deep conviction that a better world was not only possible, but also necessary and achievable.

“It is our task to see that this work is carried on.

“On behalf of the Irish trade union movement, I extend my deepest condolences and sympathies to his family, colleagues and comrades,” Begg concluded.