“I would be ashamed if I ever said anything I didn't believe in, to get on personally.”

“I would be ashamed if I ever said anything I didn’t believe in, to get on personally.”
The above statement was made by Tony Benn whose death has been announced this morning.
The Wikipedia article is to be recommended: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Benn
Say or think what you like about him, Tony Benn was a man of principle. There will be many obituaries written of this man so this organ will restrict its commentary to this:
Saying things you do not believe in is unfortunately the standard practice for the “establishment.” For instance, how many really believe that the trace element of CO2 is really the cause of the problems they site? Of course, all the present cabinet ministers (along with those in the last government) are proven to have said things they do not believe in. The prime example of this being their promise to the Queen in person that they shall not allow any foreign prince or power to have precedence in this land?
These people obviously are shameless.
His eldest son Stephen Benn (whose younger brother is the politician Hillary Benn), now succeeds as the 3rd Viscount Stansgate. Notwithstanding the fact that this no longer forces him to disclaim it were he wishing to join his brother in Parliament, it is likely he will disclaim merely to illustrate that he is a “man of the people.” The British Gazette would say this to the new Viscount:
If you want to keep the title, keep it. Do not worry about what the Labour Party, focus groups – or Polly Toynbee – may say think or write. In doing that you will be paying a real tribute to your father.