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

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

The programme was originally broadcast in 1988, and the presenter was Michael Parkinson.

A cast away is often described as one of the new breed of Tory politicians, a self-made man,

an entrepreneur, a good manager. As such, he made a real impression on conservatives,

becoming the darling of the rank and file, and a member of Mrs. Thatcher's Cabinet.

He was widely tipped with the next leader of the Tory party, but all that changed dramatically

in 1986 when he resigned as Secretary of State for Defence over the Western affair.

He is Michael Hezl time. Mr Hezl time, would you like the idea of a long and

forced rest on this desert island? I don't think anyone voluntarily chooses long and forced

rest, but I've been fascinated by the aspects of desert islands. I've found the birds,

I love swimming, scuba diving, snorkeling, and so there's an immediate sort of benefit,

but it's not my nature. I wouldn't want to be there for that long.

Are you a practical enough man to a survive and be a scape?

Well, I'm certainly a practical. I can do things, build things with my hands and all that sort of thing.

Escape possibly, but again, having spent quite a lot of my time scuba diving,

I've got a healthy respect for what's under the sea, and it would take quite a

sturdy craft to persuade me to set sail.

Now, what about the choice of music to accompany on this island?

I mean, how have you gone about choosing the just particular favourite tunes?

How do they have memories associated?

Well, you gave me a lot of notice, and that's very generous of you,

...