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Tony Benn's funeral takes place in Westminster Tony Benn's funeral takes place in Westminster
(about 2 hours later)
Crowds have gathered in Westminster to pay their last respects to Tony Benn, whose funeral service has been taking place yards from the House of Commons. Politicians and well-wishers gathered at Westminster earlier to bid an emotional farewell to Tony Benn.
Banner-wielding trade unionists, anti-war campaigners and other well-wishers burst into applause as the funeral cortege arrived at the church. A large crowd holding trade union and anti-war banners lined the route of his funeral cortege.
The veteran Labour politician died earlier this month at the age of 88. There were tears and sustained applause as the procession arrived at St Margaret's Church, yards from the House of Commons.
His body lay in rest before the funeral service in the Palace of Westminster's Chapel of St Mary Undercroft. Labour leader Ed Miliband was among the mourners from across the political spectrum.
Silence fell as Big Ben chimed 11:00, and Mr Benn's coffin - topped with red roses - was borne into the church by his sons and grandsons to the sound of the choir broadcast on speakers to those outside the private ceremony.
Mr Benn's younger brother David and three of his four children paid tribute to the former cabinet minister, who died earlier this month aged 88, during what was described as a traditional service.
His eldest son, Stephen, told the congregation: "The very last words he heard on this earth were the four of us telling him that we loved him. And that matters to us."
He said Mr Benn had wanted his epitaph to read "He encouraged us," adding: "Well, Dad, you did encourage us and you did inspire us. And your encouragement and your inspiration, both for us and for others, will never end."
Ed Miliband, a family friend, gave a reading from John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress.
Commenting afterwards, he said: "It was an amazing funeral because it conveyed so much about him, his decency, his principle, his integrity, his slightly wicked sense of humour - I think most of all though the love that he showed for his family and the inspiration he gave to many many people."
Former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw paid tribute to Mr Benn's "extraordinary devotion" to his family, who were "his anchor".
He described Mr Benn as the "conscience of the Labour movement", and hailed his "enormous personal courage" in the face of media "vilification".
But, said Mr Straw, he was also "very funny", bringing light relief "even in the worst moments when the Labour Party was tearing itself apart".
Among those seen shedding a tear was Mr Benn's long-time Labour colleague and former Foreign Secretary Dame Margaret Beckett.
Figures including Conservative grandee Lord Heseltine and Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams joined Mr Benn's friends and supporters on the left, including George Galloway, Dennis Skinner and Ken Livingstone, were at the service.
There was also a rare public appearance from former miners' leader Arthur Scargill, one of Mr Benn's closest friends and political allies.
House of Commons speaker John Bercow read from First Corinthians 13 and the congregation sang Jerusalem.
International socialist anthem The Red Flag - another tune traditionally heard at the end of Labour Party conferences - played as Mr Benn's coffin was carried aloft from the church, past the banners of trade unions, rainbow flags of peace and mourners with tears in their eyes.
Mr Benn's body lay in rest before the funeral service in the Palace of Westminster's Chapel of St Mary Undercroft.
He was only the second politician to be granted the honour after Baroness Thatcher.He was only the second politician to be granted the honour after Baroness Thatcher.
The service took place in St Margaret's, which is known as "the parish church of the House of Commons", after his body was taken on the short journey by hearse from Parliament, with family members following on foot. The service took place in St Margaret's, which is known as "the parish church of the House of Commons", and was conducted by Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend John Hall.
The procession was led by the chaplain to the Commons Speaker, the Rev Rose Hudson-Wilkin, who had kept an overnight vigil beside the body.
Onlookers clapped as the coffin was carried from the hearse to the entrance to the church but silence fell as Big Ben chimed 11:00, and it was borne into the church to the sound of the choir broadcast on speakers to those outside the private ceremony.
Mr Benn's sons and grandsons carried his casket - topped with red roses - into the church for what has been described as a traditional funeral service, to be conducted by Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend John Hall.
Labour Leader Ed Miliband, a family friend, and shadow chancellor Ed Balls were among the mourners.
Among those seen shedding a tear was Mr Benn's long-time Labour colleague and former foreign secretary Dame Margaret Beckett.
Figures from across the political spectrum, including Conservative grandee Lord Heseltine and Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams, joined Mr Benn's friends and allies on the left, including George Galloway, Dennis Skinner and Ken Livingstone, at the service.
House of Commons speaker John Bercow read from First Corinthians 13 and the congregation sang Jerusalem, seen by many socialists as their anthem.
Tributes poured in from across the political spectrum after Mr Benn's death.
Mr Miliband described him as an "iconic figure" while Prime Minister David Cameron said that Mr Benn ensured there was "never a dull moment", even for those who disagreed with every word he said.
Mr Benn's son, Labour shadow cabinet minister Hilary, told MPs how much his father, who won 16 elections, loved Parliament and was devastated when he was initially barred from entering the Commons upon his own father's death in 1960, "because it was alleged that his blood was blue".
He added: "His blood was never blue, it was the deepest red throughout his life."
The funeral will be followed by a private family cremation later this afternoon and a memorial meeting will be held later in the year.The funeral will be followed by a private family cremation later this afternoon and a memorial meeting will be held later in the year.