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.

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

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

Why get rid of Chamberlain to put in Halifax? It's like getting rid of the organ-grinder to put in the monkey.

It was very much a cry for democratic control at that time. Above all, breaking the accomplished power of a few people to rule the lives of everybody else.

In politics, guts is all.

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.