 In the 2007 Labour Party leadership election , Benn backed the left @-@ wing MP John McDonnell in his unsuccessful bid . In September 2007 , Benn called for the government to hold a referendum on the EU Reform Treaty . In October 2007 , at the age of 82 , and when it appeared that a general election was about to be held , Benn reportedly announced that he wanted to stand , having written to his local Kensington and Chelsea Constituency Labour Party offering himself as a prospective candidate for the seat held by the Conservative Malcolm Rifkind . However , there was no election in 2007 , and the constituency was subsequently abolished . 
