Having served in eleven Parliaments, it would be difficult to describe this as a maiden speech. It would be like Elizabeth Taylor appearing at her next wedding in a white gown.

The Tory party is the enemy of democracy.

The peace movement didn't stop the Iraq but I think that Blair would not be able to go along and support an Iranian war.

I think the truth is that the Labour Party isn't believed any more because people suspect it will say anything to get votes. The rebuilding of some radical alternatives to Thatcherism - and by that I mean all-party Thatcherism - will require us to do some very difficult things

I really think in the Commonwealth of Europe you should have Russia. I listed a hundred countries that would be in it and it would then be a really European United Nations.

I don't want to commit myself in advocating a definite republican constitution which will get bogged down with the question of who would elect the President and when.

Thanks to the tabloid campaigns I have many death threats and I was very pleased to get another one the other day.