Hilary Benn led Commons tributes to his father Tony yesterday for leading a life that "inspires and encourages."

He told MPs how much Tony Benn, who won 16 elections, "loved" Parliament and how he was devastated when he was initially barred from entering the Commons upon inheriting his father's peerage in 1960 "because it was alleged that his blood was blue."

Mr Benn told the House: "His blood was never blue, it was the deepest red throughout his life."

Father of the House Sir Peter Tapsell told MPs that Tony was the only serving member who voted in favour of the Peerage Act of 1963, which enabled him to renounce his father's Stansgate viscountcy and return to the Commons.

Paying warm tribute, the veteran Conservative MP said: "In private life, he was a gentle, sweet, charming man with perfect manners."

Labour veteran Dennis Skinner recalled the "heady days" he spent with Mr Benn on demonstrations and picket lines in the 1970s, saying it was those events that shaped his leftist sentiments.

"The truth was that those of us that were in the thick of it knew it was having a major effect," Mr Skinner said.

"He had an environment that was different to mine as a kid but then, as I say, it all changed."

Labour's Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) recalled sharing a stage with Mr Benn at last year's Glastonbury festival, where the late politician was a regular speaker.

His ability to "totally inspire" a crowd of hungover music fans illustrated his lasting legacy - the belief that political engagement can make a difference.

She said: "It took so long for the session to get going because he of course got a standing ovation as he was led up on to the stage, so many people wanted to shake his hand and just show how much they admired and respected his views.

"Because even in his physical frailty and even in his advanced age he was saying 'you can do something, you can achieve something just by the power of getting out there and keeping at it'."