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Baroness Gillian Shephard invited written recollections from some 40 people for The Real Iron Lady. They include John Major, Douglas Hurd, Geoffrey Howe and other Cabinet colleagues, a Cabinet Secretary, an ambassador, two distinguished journalists, and a leading trade unionist. A French perspective is provided by Hubert Vedrine, former adviser to President Mitterand and French foreign minister.

The result is a fascinating close-up portrait of Margaret Thatcher from the people who were with her throughout the dramas of her extraordinary political career, laced with Shephard’s own recollections as an MP and junior minister. The book portrays Thatcher as a creature of contrasts, courageous, kind, ferocious and feminine. Shephard will be talking to Sarah Baxter, editor of The Sunday Times Magazine and former News Review editor of The Sunday Times.

Shephard and Baxter are both St Hilda’s College alumna and this event is part of the St Hilda’s College media day. It is also part of the festival’s leadership strand.