The fascinating diaries of influential Labour politician
SHE IS considered one of the most significant Labour politicians of our time, responsible for the introduction of welfare reforms including the Equal Pay Act and what is now know as child benefit, as well as transport policies such as compulsory seatbelts and national speed limits.
And as today, May 3, marks 20 years since Barbara Castle died in 2002, the University of Bradford has been delving into extracts from her diaries, which offer a frank insight into the pioneering MP’s time in politics.
Described in an obituary as a “leftwing flame-headed political tornado”, Barbara Anne Castle entered politics during the 1945 Labour landslide as MP for Blackburn. She kept the seat for 34 years. Although born in Chesterfield, she grew up in Toller Lane, Bradford and attended Bradford Girls’ Grammar School.
The Castle Diaries 1964-1976 were published in 1980 but the original diaries reside in the Special Collections archive at the University of Bradford.
The typed script is heavily annotated with handwritten musings, on everything from insidious colleagues and the pitfalls of politics to daunting TV appearances and preparing for Christmas parties.
The notes offer an insight into what it was like during one of the most tumultuous periods in British history.
They give fresh perspective on already well documented historical events like the devaluation of the pound in 1967 and the lowering of the voting age to 18.
On the latter, in November 2, 1967, Castle writes: “We decided not to commit ourselves while there had been a debate in the House – particularly on the implications of the proposals for the lowering of the voting age to 18.
“Some members of Cabinet are getting cold feet about the latter, even though it is party policy. They would go to the lengths of holding up legal reforms rather than risk encouraging it. I hissed to Wedgy [Tony Benn, then Anthony Wedgwood Benn]: ‘They want [‘We are going to’ is crossed out] to cook the books against the young because we are afraid they won’t vote for us’.”
The notes show the real determination, grit and humanity of a woman who was a trailblazer, a reformer, and who at one point was touted as a possible future Prime Minister.
Handwritten, often scrawled in the margins or pinned (literally, with actual pins) to the page, the jottings extend to her disdain for the Cambridge Union debating society, rivalries within the Cabinet, how Harold Wilson (the University’s first chancellor) lost his confidence, and her constant struggle to find time to get her hair done.
On Wilson, on December 16, 1967, she writes: “Harold has circulated a Top Secret heavily sealed document about the economic situation. Devaluation [of the pound] has failed to work and the situation is ‘menacing’. Emergency measures would have to be taken immediately after the recess.
“Meanwhile, he is just putting us in the picture. [‘I wonder why?’ is crossed out]. Certainly, his optimistic talk of ‘breakthrough’ has proved wrong.
Wonder why experts are falling off so disappointingly? And our old friend, lack of ‘confidence’ is back again.”
On October 23, 1967 , she says of the Cambridge Union society: “Went to Cambridge Union – merely to oblige [Baroness] Ann Mallalieu – to oppose a No Confidence motion.
“It was the biggest attendance at any debate since the war but they had only come to roar with laughter at every other word. Heckling I enjoy but this was puerile. It will be a long time before I go to the Cambridge Union again.”
Professor of Modern European History Munro Price says of the diaries: “This is a remarkable manuscript, with many notes and annotations absent from the published version of Barbara Castle’s diaries, and a major source for 20th century British political history.”
Twenty years since pioneering politician Barbara Castle died, Neil Hudson looks at extracts from her annotated diaries, showing grit, wit and honesty.