BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, Podcasts.

Hello and welcome to Political Thinking, a conversation with rather than an interrogation

of someone who shapes our political thinking about what has shaped theirs.

My guest today was told that he has a reading age of just eight.

His dyslexia was so bad he had to return to school to study in his 20s for the exams

that he simply couldn't pass when he was there the first time.

He is now Dr Peter Kyle, a close ally of Keir Starmers and the Shadow Northern Ireland

Secretary who, if Labour comes to power, may find himself having to take a very important

decision, whether there should be another referendum about the future of the UK.

This time it would be about whether Northern Ireland should leave and become reunited with

the Republic.

Dr Peter Kyle, welcome to Political Thinking.

Thanks Nick.

I say that in the introduction that you have a reading age of eight really and if so,

how on earth do you do the job you've got now?

Well I've never known any difference so I can't describe it, I can't compare it to somebody

that can read differently.

I was at the Haye Literature Festival just a few days ago and people were asking me that

there.

One of the misconceptions about people with dyslexia including particularly people with

severe dyslexia is that we don't like reading.

I love reading.

...