Mo Mowlam (person)

Middle child of three. Alcoholic father, strong mother, fiercely hardworking as a child although not regarded as being a natural academic. Notably untidy throughout her life, apparently.

At the age of thirteen she moved with her family to Coventry where she studied at Counden Court Grammar school for girls. She buried herself in her school work, partly, it's said because of the problems at home caused by her father's drinking.

Famous for her good nature and wicked sense of fun, she was involved in the thick of it all. Once, when up for mischief, she offered to clean the statue of Lady Godiva in Coventry just to get herself and her friends into the Daily Telegraph.

In 1968 having decided to take her education further, she settled on Durham University studying Sociology and Anthropology. Here, she became heavily involved in politics, throwing herself into
any political groups with a worthy cause. This was effectively the start of her political career.

In 1970, she went to Iowa City with a boyfriend, Martin Pomphrey who was studying there. Although they did not stay together, she stayed in the US to complete her Phd in political science. Afterwards, she took up a lecturing post at Florida State University. It was 1977. Whilst in Florida, she lived in a decrepit ground floor apartment in Tallahasee. One day after she had returned home, there was suddenly the sound of someone attempting to break in. Realising that she was in danger, she ran to a local grocery store and called a friend to pick her up. Later, when the police checked the apartment, they found no damage and nothing missing. Shortly afterwards, two girls from the university campus, a short walk away, were murdered. The killer was Ted Bundy and to this day Mo Mowlam is certain that the intruder that day was him.

Returning from the US in 1979, she took up a Politics Lecturer at The University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and became more involved in politics. It was thought that her ambitions to go into politics were conceived when she started her Phd, but now the opportunity there to get involved in local issues.

After Newcastle she went to Northern College, Barnsley in 1984 as college administrator, a post which was, was strongly political and put her on course to pursue her ambitions of a career in politics.

Becoming strongly involved in the local Labour Party she found herself being selected for candidacy for a Labour seat in Redcar, Cleveland and won in 1987.

Best known for being Northern Ireland Secretary 1997-1999 until she was unceremoniously removed by Tony Blair and the post given to her arch enemy, Peter Mandelson. Mowlam and Mandelson were actually close friends until Mandelson apparently felt she was no longer any use to him career wise. The animosity she feels towards him is still strong. Neither does she see eye to eye with Gordon Brown, whom she argues bitterly with. She is, however, good friend with Betty Boothroyd, ex Speaker of the House whom she would stay with in London following gruelling chemotherapy for a brain tumour. Mo is reported to have thrown off her famous wig during meetings to finalise the Good Friday Agreement.

She is married to Jon Norton and has two stepchildren.