Hello, I'm Krestey Young, and this is a podcast from the Desert Island Discs archive.

For rights reasons, we've had to shorten the music.

The program was originally broadcast in 1994, and the presenter was Sue Lawley. My castaway this week is a politician, for his wife, albeit...

My castaway this week is a politician.

For most of her life, however, she's been a politician's wife, albeit an extremely high profile and independent one.

She was brought up in North Wales and at the age of 22 married a man who was to become leader of the Labour Party.

She supported him loyally and effectively, but when he stood down, she took up the political

cudgels herself and was returned as a British MEP with the biggest majority in Europe.

Six years ago I interviewed her husband as a castaway on this program.

Today it's her turn.

At the age of 50 she's at last a politician in her own right. She is Glenys Kinnock.

Is it a case of at last Glenys? I mean is it something of a relief to have your own political voice?

Yes, I think it has been a pleasure to be able to speak out about things that I care about and

to be, I mean it's still a surprise when you said a politician now, I'm still brought up short by the idea that I can be

described as one but I am enjoying it but nevertheless very strange having now to be

the main player you to be the one who's got the appointments who's got the

secretary who's got to be somewhere I mean it must be a

very odd transition it is odd but of course I have been familiar with that kind of

set up through Neil I suppose but also as part of a team that went out campaigning in elections and so on.

I was quite familiar with how things were.

Of course, but I read somewhere that you turned up at your own campaign sort of thinking,

where's the candidate?

...