Healey: A member of a unique club

Denis Healey has just appeared on Desert Island Discs.  Unfortunately it is not available on-line.

At the age of 91 he has lost none of the intellect he has always been renowned for.

On the present troubles within the Labour party he said:

There are many problems the Labour Party has at the moment about winning the next election, but I don't think what's happening to the economy is one of them.

An odd comment as he is an supporter of Brown.  Maybe he expects Cameron to win.

On his political ambition:

It is better for people to wonder why I wasn't prime minister than to wonder why I was.

On Thatcher:

I thought she was frankly appalling as prime minister, because she wouldn't listen to anybody who didn't share her views.  But since she lost power, nobody really listens to what she has to say, poor thing, and I feel very sorry for her now.  We get on very well when we meet, which wasn't the case at all when I was in politics.  Last time we met was at Leonardslee, which is a beautiful country garden near us, and I gave her a great hug.

Without question, Healey would have made an outstanding prime minister.  He remains one of the three politicians who make up that unique club of the best prime minister we never had.