The review discusses the handwritten notes of Barbara Castle, a significant Labour politician, highlighting her grit, wit, and honesty. The notes provide a candid insight into her political career and personal struggles, offering a unique perspective on British history during a tumultuous period.
The review delves into the handwritten notes of Barbara Castle, a pioneering Labour politician, which are part of the University of Bradford’s Special Collections. These notes, heavily annotated and personal, offer a frank and honest look into her political career and personal life. They cover a range of topics from her disdain for the Cambridge Union debating society to her struggles with colleagues and the challenges of her political role. The notes also provide a unique perspective on significant historical events, such as the devaluation of the pound in 1967 and the lowering of the voting age to 18. They reveal Castle's determination, humanity, and her constant battle to balance her political duties with personal commitments, such as finding time to get her hair done. The review highlights the richness and significance of these notes, which are a major source for 20th-century British political history.
Quick quotes
They want to cook the books against the young because we are afraid they won’t vote for us.
It was the biggest attendance at any debate since the war but they had only come to roar with laughter at every other word.
TV appearances are trying when one is tired and hasn’t had time to have one’s hair done.