Veteran Labour politician Tony Benn, at the age of 85, has developed a new 'Seatcase', a suitcase that comes with a seat attached. 85-year-old Benn, who met Mahatma Gandhi as a child, said "I call this the safest seat in Parliament."
His contraption has been given approval by the furniture Industry Research Association this week after undergoing tests lasting for a month.
A robust bracket, weighing less than a kilo is attached to the suitcase (most ordinary cases will accommodate it) and when the case is placed on the ground, the seat can be slid down two metal tubes and flipped out with the body of the case supporting it.
Benn said years of travelling helped him to develop the 'Seatcase'. During the travels, "I found I was always looking for somewhere to sit. So, in the end, I started to carry a stool with me. t was quite a handful, so about ten years ago I managed to lash a stool to a rucksack."
Drawing admiration from fellow travellers, the 'backbencher' finally became the 'Seatcase' after Benn was put in contact with architect Grahame Herbert, who had designed the airframe folding bicycle in the Seventies. A prototype was put together at a cost of $3,000 and much time was spent perfecting the product. Benn expects the Seatcase to be sold at around $30.
