Hello I'm Kirsty 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 1988 and the presenter was Sue Lawley. My cast away this week is a politician, journalist and writer. He was born 75 years ago into a family with impeccable liberal credentials.

He himself, however, espoused socialism, first as a backbencher and then as leader of his party.

He used his oratory to advance its cause, his intellect to pursue its principle.

Some say he's the nicest Prime Minister

we never had. He is Michael Foote. Mr Foote are you a willing cast away does the

prospect of peace and solitude delight you?

Well I don't know about the solitude so much but the peace might be acceptable,

but I'm certainly, of course I'm an old addict of listening to this programme, so that trains one for what's going to happen on the Desert Islands

so I'm I'm prepared for it.

When are you at your happiest?

Well I think when walking across the Heath in the morning with my dog dizzy that's when the day

looks better but the lots of other happy times as well. But you're often

often pursued by the press on those occasions. Well yes they've given it up a bit

recently but they were you know I'm I'm not complaining about life I think it's a very good arrangement on the whole

I can't imagine Mr foot that you would be a dab hand at shelter construction or rabbit snaring there.

No, I don't think I'd be any use whatsoever on the island.

I'd need to have somebody to assist me if I can.

Let's hear your first record.

Well, I was really brought up in a musical home.

My father was musical and had taught himself music as he taught himself pretty well anything else.

...