Education, education, education

If you're interested in politics and you're not following it, then it's a little bizarre.

Those who wish to cause religious conflict are small in number but often manage to dominate the headline.

I've never ruled out the possibility of going back into public service.

Ideals survive through change. They die through inertia in the face of challenge.

My dad was a militant atheist, or is a militant atheist. My mum was sort of bought up in a religious family because she was a Protestant from Ireland but wasn't especially religious.

Actually the royal family were very gracious and good to me. But I also found that the British establishment were never quite sure what to make of me. I was a Labour figure, but I'd come from a very middle-class background. In one sense I offended both traditional right and traditional left. But I thought that was no bad thing.