Politician

I'm a believer in forgiveness. I have worked with people who have been in gangs and now dedicate their lives to helping inner city kids. I've run offender services with teachings of responsibility, empathy and understanding of the victims at their heart. I've seen people change.

Boris Johnson needs to be challenged, with passion, heart and precision.

The trouble for lots of politicians is they worry so much about everybody liking every single thing that they do.

It might be easy to brush away the febrile atmosphere online as a nasty byproduct of free expression: it's less easy when it happens to you.

The greatest lie that was ever told is that I'm some sort of rightwinger.

For me socialism has never been an intellectual pursuit. It comes from my upbringing and experience.

I made a decision to stop feeling envious of other people, to crack on with my life and stop comparing myself with others.

I was politically complacent during the Blair years. Things were good and people thought things would be good forever.

As a mother, I want the very best for my children. As a politician, I want what is best for all children.

Regardless of how people love to deride politicians, democracy is not an easy gig. My decisions, views and heartfelt principles are dismissed by so many as careerist, opportunist or attention-seeking.

Rhe language of politics is experienced by most as spin with the assumption of dishonesty.

To be honest, I've always been forthright.

In short, that politicians do or don't have families should no longer have any bearing on their abilities to hold office or to care more or less about the future of the country.

My favourite film is probably 'Star Wars'. I do love 'Starship Troopers', it is a great film but it's not a film I watch over and over again. Whereas 'Star Wars' I've watched over and over again all my life, and it's a film I can tolerate watching with my children.

As a woman, I don't trust Boris Johnson with my rights and that's largely because of the things that he has said and done in his political life.

My mum was always extremely political. I have fond memories of making signs as a child for the nuclear disarmament protests at Greenham Common, or helping her bake cakes for them.

I like second chances; I've had a few myself.

I had pneumonia when I was 18 months old and I was given penicillin, which I was allergic to, and since then my teeth have been yellow.

I don't think Jeremy Corbyn hates women - I don't think Jeremy hates anyone. Spend even one minute with him and you would want to take him down to the pub and sink a pint of mild with the man. However, in the hard left of British politics lurks a gruesome misogyny.

I have felt the force of what governments can do. I remember my elder son being in the first cohort of kids who got a free nursery place, I remember the palliative care my mother got at home as I watched her die.