A Journey_ My Political Life

Chapter 35

iv) At my school, Fettes, in spring 1971 with friends Amanda Mackenzie Stuart and Chris Catto [image]

v) In 1972, I left the North and came to London for a year. Alan Collenette and I promoted rock bands

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vi) Cherie and me on our wedding day, at the Chapel of St John"s College, Oxford, 29 March 1980 [image]

vii) The Labour Party candidate in the Beaconsfield by-election, May 1982



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viii) Cherie"s father first secured me an invitation to visit Westminster. On the terrace of the Houses of Parliament with Cherie, 1984 [image]

ix) Michael Foot, leader of the Labour Party, came to support my campaign in Beaconsfield

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x) The people of Trimdon, where we had our const.i.tuency home, supported me loyally during my twenty-five years as the Member for Sedgefield. I won the const.i.tuency in June 1983 [image]

xi) One of many happy moments with Cherie, Euan, Nicky and baby Kathryn at our house in Islington, 1988

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xii) With Shadow Cabinet colleagues, a few months before the crushing general election defeat of 1992. From left, Gordon Brown, John Smith, Neil Kinnock, Margaret Beckett and me [image]

xiii) Derry Irvine, my pupil master in chambers, taught me a great deal in the early years. I was later to appoint him Lord Chancellor

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xiv) Relaxing with friends Marc Palley and Peter Thomson, whom I met at Oxford. Peter was probably the most influential person in my life [image]

xv) My relationship with my oldest political friend, Geoff Gallop, has been sustained from student days

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xvi) The saddest of days. With Gordon at John Smith"s funeral in Edinburgh, 20 May 1994 [image]

xvii) We announced that Gordon was not going to stand as Labour leader on 1 June 1994

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xviii) Alongside John Prescott and Margaret Beckett, the other two candidates for the Labour leadership, June 1994 [image]

xix) That summer we made a holiday detour to recruit Alastair Campbell. From left, Neil Kinnock, me, Alastair, Glenys Kinnock with Kathryn, and Alastair"s children, Calum and Grace, August 1994

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xx) Drafting the new wording of Clause IV in March 1995 with John, now deputy Labour leader [image]

xxi) John Prescott, Gordon Brown and I launch the Labour Party manifesto alongside a Shadow Cabinet team that included Jack Straw, far left, and Robin Cook, second row, third right. London, 3 April 1997

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xxii) Watching the election night results with John Burton, my const.i.tuency agent, Trimdon Labour Club, Sedgefield, 1 May 1997 [image]

xxiii) Reviewing the election coverage with the team, including Alastair Campbell and David Miliband, on the last Sunday before polling day, 27 April 1997

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xxiv) Going to vote at Sedgefield, 1 May 1997. Hordes of photographers were in tow [image]

xxv) Expectant family and friends at the Sedgefield count. Kathryn holds my dad"s hand; Cherie"s mum is in the front row, far right, and her dad second row, third right. 1 May 1997

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xxvi) Neil Kinnock, John Prescott and Peter Mandelson among colleagues and supporters as the celebrations begin, Royal Festival Hall [image]

xxvii) As dawn broke on 2 May 1997, I made my victory speech on the South Bank. I could see the cheering crowds ma.s.sed all along the Embankment

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xxviii) The new prime minister, celebrating with Cherie, 2 May 1997. This was not just a win, it was a landslide [image]

xxix) The moment our lives changed. Kathryn waves from the window of our old home as Cherie and I head to the Palace

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x.x.x) Walking along Downing Street for the first time, I felt the emotion run like a charge through the crowd [image]

x.x.xi) After an hour"s sleep, Cherie and I arrived at Buckingham Palace on the morning of 2 May 1997. Supporters lined the streets

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x.x.xii) As prime minister, on the steps of No. 10. We were the youngest family to have lived there since the 1850s [image]

x.x.xiii) Down to business with, right to left, Gordon Brown, Charlie Whelan, Peter Mandelson and Alastair Campbell, Downing Street, 10 July 1997

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x.x.xiv) Clockwise from top: Clockwise from top: some of the inner team. Peter Mandelson could tell you what people would be thinking tomorrow; Anji Hunter, possessed of a naturally intuitive political instinct; Jonathan Powell, a key operative in government; Sally Morgan, superbly attuned to the party; Philip Gould, chief pollster, and central to our strategy some of the inner team. Peter Mandelson could tell you what people would be thinking tomorrow; Anji Hunter, possessed of a naturally intuitive political instinct; Jonathan Powell, a key operative in government; Sally Morgan, superbly attuned to the party; Philip Gould, chief pollster, and central to our strategy [image]

x.x.xv) In the sunshine of the Downing Street garden, at the end of May 1997 with Bill Clinton

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x.x.xvi) With Bill and Hillary Clinton and Cherie at Tower Bridge the same day [image]

x.x.xvii) The Clintons meet the family at Downing Street

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x.x.xviii) As fellow third-way progressives, Bill and I had a natural bond [image]

x.x.xix) On the international stage at the G7 summit in Denver, Colorado, with Bill Clinton and Helmut Kohl, centre

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xl) Prince Charles and I flank Chris Patten, the last governor of Hong Kong, at the handover ceremony to China, 1 July 1997 [image]

xli) Among leaders at the NATO summit, July 1997. Helmut Kohl makes a point to me as, left to right, Jacques Chirac, Jean-Claude Juncker, Walter Neuer and Romano Prodi look on

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xlii) Princess Diana chatting to Kathryn during a visit to Chequers, 6 July 1997 [image]

xliii) It fell to me to address the nation about Diana"s death, outside Trimdon Church, 31 August 1997

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xliv) Face to face with Prince Charles on the airstrip of RAF Northolt in north-west London, as Diana"s body arrived back from France [image]

xlv) Prince Charles, Prince Harry, Earl Spencer, Prince William and Prince Philip follow Diana"s coffin, borne by soldiers of the 1st Battalion, the Welsh Guards, 6 September 1997

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xlvi) Prime Minister"s Questions was the most nerve-racking, terror-inspiring and courage-draining experience of my prime ministerial life. Facing the Tory front bench led by John Major during the devolution debate, 6 June 1997 [image]

xlvii) Jack Straw looks on from our side during a debate in 1998 [image]

xlviii) The four other Tory leaders I faced were, from left, William Hague, Iain Duncan Smith, Michael Howard and David Cameron

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xlix) Top left: Top left: At Stormont in Northern Ireland, after days of negotiation, I announced the Good Friday Agreement on 10 April 1998. Mo Mowlam and Paul Murphy look on. Other key figures in the talks included, At Stormont in Northern Ireland, after days of negotiation, I announced the Good Friday Agreement on 10 April 1998. Mo Mowlam and Paul Murphy look on. Other key figures in the talks included, clockwise from top right clockwise from top right, Ian Paisley; Seamus Mallon and John Hume; Martin McGuinness and Gerry Adams; Jonathan Powell; and Bertie Ahern

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l) Pushing for a yes vote in the peace agreement referendum, with David Trimble and John Hume, County Antrim, 21 May 1998 [image]

li) Three months later, bombers struck in Omagh, killing twenty-nine and injuring many more. Bill Clinton was quick to visit the scene at this terrible time, 3 September 1998 [image]

lii) With Nelson Mandela at the European Council meeting in Cardiff, June 1998

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liii) With Cherie, meeting a family of Kosovan refugees, Macedonia, 3 May 1999 [image]

liv) Talking to the press after visiting the border between Yugoslavia and Macedonia, 3 May 1999