"Cats are ideal for politicians. I had two when I arrived at Westminster, Sooty and Sweep, who had co..." — Ann Widdecombe

I am not normally a fan of organised tours: few public figures are, feeling themselves objects of constant curiosity.

The first visit I made to Australia was in 1996 when I was the prisons' minister and was looking at other countries' penal systems.

After 23 years closeted at Westminster, where often all you can see out of the windows are other parliamentary buildings, I appreciate space, and I retired to Dartmoor to find it.

We need less political correctness and more political courage.