Diane Abbott
Kirsty Young's castaway is politician Diane Abbott.
Kirsty Young's castaway this week is the MP Diane Abbott. She was the first black woman to become a Member of Parliament and, after her election in 1987, she said she would find herself sitting on the green benches of the House of Commons wondering whether she was really entitled to be there.
It was not the first British institution she'd cracked - she had already propelled herself through Cambridge and then into the Civil Service. But she has not always sat comfortably inside these great bastions of the establishment; she says Gordon Brown booted her off an influential committee because she asked too many questions; she was a vocal opponent of the war in Iraq and she attracted a good deal of controversy when she decided to send her son to private school.
After more than 20 years in the House of Commons, she is, she says, happy for people to judge her on what she has done and what she has stood up for.
[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]
Favourite track: Nkosi Sikelel 'Iafrika by Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Book: Volumes of architectural and historical surveys of London
Luxury: A nice bed with comfortable mattress, sheets & mosquito net.
Last on
Music Played
-
Harry Belafonte
Scarlet Ribbons
- All Greatest Hits Vol.1.
- RCA.
-
The Beatles
The Things We Said Today
- A Hard Day鈥檚 Night.
- Parlophone.
-
The Temptations
Ain't Too Proud to Beg
- Temptations: Greatest Hits.
- Motown.
-
Bob Marley
Exodus
- Exodus.
- Tuff Gong.
-
Buju Banton
Driver A
- Too Bad.
- Gargamel Records.
-
D:Ream
Things Can Only Get Better
- D:Ream On Vol 1.
- FXU.
-
Claude Debussy
Reflets dans l'eau (from Images)
Soloist: Paul Roberts
- Debussy Piano Music Volume 11.
- Hurstwood Farm Studio.
-
Castaway's Favourite
-
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Nkosi sikelel' iAfrika
- Long Walk to Freedom: Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
- Heads Up.
-
-
Book Choice
-
Volumes of architectural and historical surveys of London
Luxury Choice
-
A nice bed with comfortable mattress, sheets & mosquito net.
-
Credits
Role | Contributor |
---|---|
Presenter | Kirsty Young |
Interviewed Guest | Diane Abbott |
Broadcasts
- Sun 18 May 2008 11:15成人快手 Radio 4 FM
- Fri 23 May 2008 09:00成人快手 Radio 4
Featured in...
Archive 2005-2010—Desert Island Discs
Guests are invited to choose the eight records they would take to a desert island
Listen to over 2,000 programmes
Click above to browse castaways, from 1942 to today.
Articles
Read the surprising things we've learned about some stand-out castaways.
Podcast
-
Desert Island Discs
Castaway guests share the soundtrack of their lives.