Woman's Hour - 26/05/2009

With Jane Garvey. As the numbers of MPs standing down at the next election appears to grow by the day, Esther Rantzen's declaration that she is likely to stand as an independent MP against Margaret Moran in Luton South has caused a mixed response. Despite her high profile background does she have the necessary qualities and experience to be an effective MP? To discuss what characteristics are needed to embrace and survive a term or more in Parliament, Jane Garvey is joined by Clare Short, Independent MP for Birmingham Ladywood who will end her time in the House at the next election after more than 25 years, the broadcaster and journalist Amanda Platell, who considered becoming an MP, and Lynn Faulds Wood, most well-known for her campaigning on Watchdog, but who has also recently announced her Parliamentary ambitions. When Angus Cleaver's wife Abigail developed breast cancer he found himself on a steep learning curve. Working out how best to support her through the emotional and physical consequences of the diagnosis took time, and inevitably he made the odd mistake. Angus joins us to talk about why he hopes he can pass on what he's learned to other partners through his new website. Claire Tomalin, the Whitbread Award-winning biographer, always knew that her mother had been a published composer in the 30s and 40s. But it was not until years after Muriel Herbert's death that Claire opened up the fragile manuscripts and discovered what an extraordinary talent she possessed. Born in the Edwardian era, when women composers were practically unheard of, Muriel was a prolific musician whose 'art songs' were highly regarded. Poets such as James Joyce and WB Yeats allowed her to set their work to music. Claire joins Jane to discuss why she was inspired to create a new recording of her mother's best-known work. Nicky Jecks left school as an uninterested 16-year-old with few GCSEs. Thirteen years on, she now has four children - and almost certainly a place to study medicine at Cambridge. She has consistently achieved high grades and scored 100 per cent in four of her A-level papers despite having to unexpectedly deliver her fourth child alone at home during her studies. Unsurprisingly, she has now won an Adult Learner of the Year award and she tells Jane how she has managed it all.