BBC World Service - Women in Power

Born 1949 in Watford, near London
Went to comprehensive school in Coventry
Studied Anthropology at Durham University, gained Doctorate in USA
Lectured in politics in UK
1987 became Labour MP for Redcar
1994 became Opposition Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
1997 Labour win elections - Mowlam appointed Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
October 1999 reshuffle: Mowlam becomes Minister for the Cabinet Office

"I became interested in politics from a very early age at school and joined the Labour party in my first year at college because… you saw some schools better equipped than others. I went to a comprehensive school and we did not have as good sports facilities as others and I thought there was an unfairness here. So there were certain things as I grew up … that I suppose made me more political."

The daughter of a Post Office worker, Mowlam went to a comprehensive (mixed ability) school in Coventry. She was interested in politics from an early age but felt that she wanted to be a doctor because their work was practical, 'it got results'. She studied Anthropology and Politics then lectured in Politics at Newcastle University. She went on to work in adult education with students whom she thought might have fewer opportunities than traditional university students.

In 1987 she became the British Labour party's Member of Parliament for Redcar in the North of England, having been selected to stand as MP by a margin of one vote. At this time the Labour Party was in opposition and Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister. In 1994 Mowlam became the Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. When in May 1997 Labour won the national election, Tony Blair, the new Prime Minister, appointed Mowlam as the new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland - the first woman in this key post.

Hear Mowlam's speech on her first day

"All I can do is bring people together, all I can do is create a situation to encourage people to work together, and in the end it's the people of Northern Ireland and the leaders of the political parties that will make the decisions, but I can create the parameters to help achieve that."

Although Mowlam didn't think that her approach was different because she was a woman, it was seen as very distinct from that of the previous Secretary for Northern Ireland, Patrick Mayhew of the Conservative Party. The impression Mowlam gave was of someone with the common touch. She seemed to embrace everyone she met and to treat all people equally. At the same time, she was also very tough - Neil Kinnock described her as "tungsten tough" - tungsten is a kind of metal used for bullets.

"I brought a very different character from the characters that had been there before and I think it was probably more my character, my directness, my honesty, my saying as I see it which probably was as important to what I brought to the process as my gender. But there's no doubt that my gender helped in some situations but in others it was a handicap ... some of the men didn't like women in positions of power."

Just before her appointment as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, her appearance had suddenly changed. She put on a lot of weight and lost hair. She was suffering from a benign brain tumour and had to undergo radiotherapy and steroid treatment. Mowlam thinks this has increased her "tough" appearance. She believes that women can be just as tough as men but that this is not the most important quality they should possess.

"I think you can be tough and female. I probably look tougher than I am because ever since my benign brain tumour … I lost a lot of hair - it's come back but not as much as I would like. … Some days I think I look like an out of work American football player! - so I'm a bit kind of stocky and I think that makes me look tough. But toughness, determination and courage are always important in politics. But for women the main thing I think is about confidence, if you are confident and act confidently you can do it, whatever it is you want to do, confidence is the key."

For Mowlam, confidence is the key to success for women. For a post with a city brief, she had to learn quickly about financial matters. On her first day she had to attend a lunch in a city bank…

"I knew nothing about banking, I walked into the lunch, put my shoulders back, my best suit on and said 'Gentlemen, very good to see you, could you give me each five minutes on the major issues we should be addressing.' At the end of the lunch, I hadn't had to express a view on anything. So it's that kind of confidence which is probably a bit of a dodge. But it's confidence that makes the difference as to whether you make it in politics, media business or anything.., I think having women in positions where young women can see them doing things… it's terribly important to build confidence among young girls and I go into schools and …talk to them about what they could do with their lives."

Mowlam's main task was to seek a peaceful solution to the longstanding Troubles - a process that had begun under the previous government. Nearly 80 years ago, Ireland was divided and this resulted in a conflict between those who wanted the North to remain part of the United Kingdom and those who wanted the North to join with the South as part of a united Ireland. In the last thirty years, thousands of lives have been lost as a result of action by armed radicals from both sides. Mowlam immediately took up the peace process with her own distinct style. When in January 1998 it seemed that the negotiations had got stuck, Mowlam took a high-risk approach and went into the Maze Prison in Belfast to talk face to face with convicted terrorists to try to resolve the situation. As a result, the Loyalists who had lost faith in the peace process decided to drop their opposition to the Northern Ireland talks. Negotiations continued and, in April 1998, all parties signed the Good Friday Agreement.

The Agreement included the setting up of a Northern Ireland Assembly with the power to legislate and take over the running of government departments. Before final agreement was reached, referendums were held North and South of the border in May 1998. Over 70% of the voters backed the Agreement and Mowlam spoke out on what this might mean for the future of Northern Ireland.

"If from here we can build a future that gives everybody a chance - and particularly the children of the next generation - a chance to live without violence, a chance to have a better future, then this is a day for everybody .. across the island, across Britain, it's a good day for us all."

Many women who succeed in politics remain single. Mowlam married late and has no children of her own but she enjoys being with her husband and his children from his first marriage. During her Ministry in Northern Ireland she had to be away from her family for long periods - she stresses the importance of keeping home and work life in balance.

"you make sure you have a hinterland, you make sure you have something else in life that is important. I don't have children but I have stepchildren which I think is probably the best of both worlds. I didn't have to bring them up and worry about dentists or school uniforms but I had the pleasure of them and I enjoy going to the cinema with my husband and …you have to make yourself as normal as possible because if not you become addicted to politics and forget what life is about and what other people are thinking."

Mowlam has this advice for other women who want to go into politics:

"I would do other things first. I think I'd say join a political party that you're interested in or a pressure group campaigning on something you're interested in, something you believe in and would like to see changed. So join and start being political but at the same time don't waste years trying to become an MP, you'd do much better as an MP - and I think be a happier person - if you did other things that you want. And if you do something else, you can keep trying the politics but you shouldn't make it your whole life. I think good politicians are ones that have many strings to their bow."

Having been in opposition for much of her political career, Mowlam sums up what, for her, is most important for women in politics: the real power you hold when you are in government and the ability that gives to make a difference to people's lives..

"I had a woman in her late 70s come in as a pensioner, put down her pension book, put down her electricity bill and say I can't pay this, what are you going do. And in opposition I could do absolutely nothing, I could be understanding, I could be sympathetic, I could put my arm around her but couldn't do anything. In government we have had the chance to achieve change and ... in that sense it's her that I think about because her voice …won't be heard and its the job of politicians to make sure that those voices are listened to and acted upon."

Haleh Afshar, Professor of Politics and Women's Studies at York University, believes that Mowlam's toughness and ability to listen made the difference.

"She was unafraid, she actually was willing to talk to terrorists … that actually takes a leap of imagination as well as a very real sense of bravery. She had the same kind of toughness that we have seen in all the women politicians that we have talked about. She knew that she wanted to intervene, she knew she wanted to make a difference and she was going to do it by being very different from all the people who went before her - by actually going down and hearing each side, and listening to them, and trying to bring two sides together - rather than having her own agenda and trying to impose some central will that neither side really wanted. That was very new and very refreshing in Irish politics."

In a government reshuffle in October 1999, Mo Mowlam was moved from her Northern Ireland post to become Minister for the Cabinet Office. In Northern Ireland the peace process continues - it has been in limbo since Peter Mandelson, the new Northern Ireland Secretary, suspended the Assembly after the IRA refused to start handing in weapons. For more information see links.

In early September 2000, Mowlam announced that she will retire from politics following the next general election. Her decision to pursue a career outside of Parliament comes amidst speculation of a conspiracy, a suggestion that Mowlam has dismissed claiming that her decision to move on is personal and 'nothing to do with politics.'