Poor Mo

Just read the sad news that former labour MP Mo Mowlam has died. She'd been ill for quite along time. I liked her for her savy and sense of humour, need one in Politics. Also I watched her on an arts show whereby artists each painted her portrait. It was sweet to see how overwhemed she was by their efforts.

from the BBC site

During her time at the Northern Ireland Office Ms Mowlam's enthusiastic, unpretentious attitude appealed to a public who yearned for an end to terrorism in the province and she won standing ovations and media awards in equal measure.

She took a major political risk by going inside the Maze prison to talk to prisoners in a bid to restart the peace process.

But the failure of the Northern Ireland parties to agree on implementation of the Good Friday agreement and the release of IRA prisoners without the parallel surrender of arms led to calls for her dismissal from Ulster Unionists, who lost confidence in her when she insisted the agreement had not been broken by the IRA.

In 1999 she was replaced as Northern Ireland secretary by Peter Mandelson, and became Tony Blair's cabinet "enforcer" after turning down the job of health secretary. She stood down as an MP in 2001.

Lecturer

A former key ally of Mr Blair, who helped organise his leadership bid in 1994, she became increasingly disaffected with his premiership and was a vocal opponent of the war in Iraq.

Marjorie 'Mo' Mowlam was born in Watford on September 18, 1949 and attended Coundon Court Comprehensive School, in Coventry, before going on to study at Durham and Iowa Universities.

She worked as a lecturer and university administrator before pursuing a career in politics.

She married merchant banker Jon Norton, already a father of two, in 1995.