77. Lord Hain on growing up in crisis, letterbombs and a Kafka-esque plot

Former Secretary of State Lord Peter Hain’s remarkable life was forged in crisis.

His parents’ peaceful but determined activism against apartheid – and the drama that surrounded his family as a result – was the backdrop to Peter’s upbringing in South Africa.

The Hains were constantly harassed – and at one stage jailed by the South African security services.

When a close family friend was convicted and executed for the bombing of a railway station – an attack which his family condemned – it was Peter, aged just 15, who spoke at the funeral.

Peter’s parents moved to the UK in 1966 … exiled from the country they loved.

He joined the British anti-apartheid movement and aged just 19 became the Chairman of the infamous Stop the 70 Tour which organised direct action against South Africa’s proposed cricket tour of England. A major success for the anti-apartheid movement.

Peter’s campaigning led to him being followed and bugged by Mi5, receiving death threats and becoming the subject of an assassination attempt.

A life in British politics beckoned for Peter … but not before more extraordinary drama and crisis.

As a Labour politician he held office as Welsh Secretary, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, and Northern Ireland Secretary, playing a key role in negotiating the power sharing settlement in 2007.

His time in politics also brought more personal crisis – a donations scandal that he described as a ‘soul searing experience’

Now in the Lords, Peter continues to campaign and as an author he’s written 29 books including biographies of Mandela, his own brilliant biography A Pretoria Boy and a series of novels focused on the crisis of animal conservation. The latest, The Elephant Conspiracy (see link below) has just been released.

A fascinating conversation with someone who has lived, breathed and experienced crisis from so many different angles.

Links:

Stream/Buy ‘Allies’ by Some Velvet Morning: https://ampl.ink/qp6bm

Some Velvet Morning Website: www.somevelvetmorning.co.uk

Your Daily Practice: Sleep by Myndstream: https://open.spotify.com/track/5OX9XgJufFz9g63o2Dv2i5?si=b2f9397c92084682

Buy Peter’s latest book, The Elephant Conspiracy: Volume 2 – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Elephant-Conspiracy-Peter-Hain/dp/1739966058

Also read his earlier book, A Pretoria Boy: The Story of South Africa's 'Public Enemy Number One' – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pretoria-Boy-Africas-Public-Number/dp/1785787632

Host – Andy Coulson

CWC production team: Louise Difford and Jane Sankey

With special thanks to Global

For all PR and guest approaches please contact – podcast@coulsonpartners.com

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