He described how, as a boy of 14, his dad had been down the mining pit, his uncle had been down the pit, his brother had been down the pit, and of course he would go down the pit.

I remember people who'd had a lot of hardship during the war. They'd thought we'd won.

Britain in the 1970s was undoubtedly an economic mess because of the oil price explosion.

You see, another reason for nationalization was that private ownership meant fragmentation.

I have never consciously exploited the fact that I am a woman. I wouldn't dare try that even if I knew how to. I have too much respect for my male colleagues to think they would be particualrly impressed.

And what always struck me about that war period was how even Churchill had to talk socialism to keep up people's morale.

Think, think, think. It will hurt like hell at first, but you'll get used to it.