Rt Hon David Davis MP

Kirsty Young's castaway this week is the Conservative politician David Davis. Born just before Christmas in 1948 to a single mother he was brought up in poverty in first York and then London. He says that he learnt early on the importance of not running away from a challenge and his grandfather and step-father taught him how to face up to his own fears.

He went on to join the SAS through the territorial army and, during his career at Westminster, has earned the nicknames 'Bone Crusher' and 'Bovver Boy'. Yet he shocked his own party when, in June last summer, he stood down as Shadow Home Secretary and announced he was going to campaign against what he saw as a fundamental assault by the government on our civil liberties. In this personal interview, he describes the anxieties that beset him as he made that decision - and the extent to which his political life changed as a result of it.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Choices

1.

Johann Pachelbel

Canon in D major

Orchestra: The Academy of St Martin in the Fields Conductor: Sir Neville Marriner

Others who chose this artist

2.

P!nk

Get the Party Started

Others who chose this artist

3.

Phil Collins

Another Day in Paradise

Others who chose this artist

4.

Ungar & Mason

The Ashokan Farewell

Others who chose this artist

5.

Castaway's favourite

Kiri Te Kanawa

Un Bel Di - One Fine Day

Others who chose this artist

6.

Mundy - Turner

Stealing My Democracy

Others who chose this artist

7.

Dire Straits

Brothers in Arms

Others who chose this artist

8.

Tom Williams

Title theme (from Schindler’s List)

Soloist: Itzhak Perlman

Others who chose this artist

Book

The complete works by Iain Banks

Others who chose this author

Luxury item

A magic wine cellar which never runs out

Others who chose a similar luxury