Was writing your memoir worth it?
Absolutely. And it evolved from my story of the last decade to my reflections on my family over the last fifty.
With Tony Blair’s book coming out soon, won’t you feel overexposed?
This is a woman’s book, not so much about policy and politics like Tony’s.
How important was your family’s humble background to your story?
I don’t know how conscious I was of it at that time, but as I started writing, I realised it had been an important part of how I see myself.
How do you see your role as a trailblazer?
I know youngsters look up to people who have made their own way. I wanted to show the hidden difficulties for pioneering women.
You mention your first brush with racism.
I was with a friend’s father in a London bus in 1976. He was of Indian origin. And you could feel the hate in the way people glared at us.
Has that changed?
Very much so. One of the big achievements of my husband’s government was to make UK a country that is proud of its multiculturalism.
Any examples you’d give?
One of my colleagues at my law firm, Matrix, Rabinder Singh, is one of the mosttalented Queen’s Counsels currently practising. It would be hard to imagine that 30 years ago.
You recently praised Jagir Kaur of Akali Dal.
I wanted to praise a woman who had been successful and I thought she would be a far more fitting role model for girls from Punjab.
Did you know she was charged in the murder of her daughter?
I had no idea. I have spoken out strongly against honour killings and forced marriages.
A message you’d like to leave us with.
We need to get beyond the point where women are considered merely ‘property’, it’s what makes crimes like honour killings prevalent, and what I have struggled against.
