Ben’s displayed that combination of scrupulous scholarship with an acute understanding of human nature which marked all his work.
The two books complemented each other admirably. And I was delighted to find that, while Ben was interested above all in the minutiae of Labour Party politics, I was much more concerned about Wilson’s foreign policy. I was relieved to find that, on every important issue, we took a similar view. When I did, I was unsurprised to find that his biography was highly intelligent, well-written and well researched. He was about a year ahead of me and, for obvious reasons, I did not read his book until my own was with the printer. Ben and I worked on Harold Wilson at the same time. Ben’s widow, Jean, is happily here today, but though I have heard her deliver one of Ben’s lectures when his voice had totally failed him, I can hardly expect her to take over from me on this occasion. I will begin, if I may, by saying how saddened I am by the fact that Professor Ben Pimlott is not here today, sitting in the front row looking quizzical or, better still, up on the platform delivering this lecture instead of me.
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