Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
Labour MP who famously campaigned to ban Page Three girls from tabloid newspapers and resigned from the front bench twice.
On the island
Eight records
It fits very much my constituency and um You know, a lot I remember when I was a little girl, the first people from the Caribbean coming to live in Handsworth, and that's all part of my life.
Choir of Seaford College Chapel directed by Philip Hill
This is really to encapsulate my childhood and youth, my Catholic schools and childhood.
My Dad used to sing to us when we were children … it represents all those memories of my dad singing to us.
Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear
I always just really liked this Simon Smith and his amazing dancing bear, and I just think of it and it makes me feel sort of happy about when I was eighteen, nineteen.
I choose it because it's beautiful, but I choose it also to represent that very natural internationalism that came through my father to our family.
I choose it because Billy's a friend of mine and because I am a socialist and I'm proud to be a socialist.
This is really about my constituency and all that part of my life … it encapsulates some of that loveliness.
Nun sag ich dir zum ersten MalFavourite
Susan Dunn, Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, Riccardo Chailly
I've chosen it because it was my sort of liberation with classical music … it was just lovely, and it opened up all this beautiful music for me.
In conversation
Presenter asks
13:07Why did you turn your back on the Catholicism you were brought up with?
Well, I can remember, funnily enough, it was about contraception at a time when it was th it it really started to crumble, because I took it all very seriously. We were very thoroughly brought up as Catholics, and I
Presenter asks
20:44Has [the Page Three campaign] become a bit of a burden for you?
Yes, I re I resent. I mean, I absolutely mean what I said. I think it was right. I just made a little speech of objection and I think all this enormous em well of emotion and strength of feeling from women came pouring out and I think all of that was good. But I do find it a burden and I don't want people to think of me and just think of pornography or or my objection to it. Because I'm many things.
Presenter asks
24:49What's wrong with [your husband]?
Well, he had a condition a sort of muscle wasting thing called spinal muscular atrophy that gradually made him less mobile and have difficulty walking. And then he developed Alzheimer's as well? And now he's horrendously ill. Um He's in residential care. He doesn't know me. Um, it's a tragedy.
The keepsakes
The book
Not recorded.
The luxury
I really wanted to have my dog, but you wouldn't allow it, and then he died. And then I thought I'd have a musical instrument, and I can't decide whether a flute or piano, and then a tutor, and I would teach myself. ... I love the flute, but I think a piano,'cause that's got more range and people have them in their houses. I think a piano.
Presenter asks
26:23Has [not having children] been a source of great pain to you?
Well, I regret it greatly and I certainly when I was thirty five, thirty six and all that biological time clock, I was was very upset about it. But then the way things have worked out with Alex being so ill and so on and now I'm forty six and more used to it and I've got all these nieces and nephews who are lovely, I'm sort of okay. And I'm I'm willing to talk about it because there's so many women out there hurting on this question.
“And I just keep taking it. But it's gone a bit a bit softer lately.”
“So I was the big sister. I was I think the first is often the princess or the prince, and Mary Pat was, and then I was the one who sort of stayed at home when mummy had the babies and um Well, she was prettier than you were your elder sister.”
“No, there were moments of desperation when I say God You know, I think you're not there, but if you are, please help me out here. I've I've done that now and again.”
“Well, I regret it greatly and I certainly when I was thirty five, thirty six and all that biological time clock, I was was very upset about it. But then the way things have worked out with Alex being so ill and so on and now I'm forty six and more used to it and I've got all these nieces and nephews who are lovely, I'm sort of okay. And I'm I'm willing to talk about it because there's so many women out there hurting on this question.”