London, March 14 (RHC)-- Former British Cabinet minister, longtime Parliament member and anti-war activist Tony Benn has died at the age of 88. He was the longest-serving member of Parliament in the history of Britain’s Labour Party, serving more than half a century.

Tony Benn left Parliament in 2001, saying he planned to "spend more time on politics." He served as the president of the Stop the War Coalition and was active in the organization well into his 80s.

Of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, he said: "Mr. Blair misled the House of Commons. He told them things which were not true, under instructions from President George W. Bush, and, as a result of that, persuaded the House of Commons to vote for the war.

One calculation is that over a million Iraqis have died as a result of the conflict. And what was achieved by it? Nothing. So I think he will have to live ’til the day he dies with the knowledge that he was guilty of a war crime and the tragedies, human tragedies, that followed from it."

Tony Benn’s family said he died peacefully at home in London early this morning, surrounded by loved ones.