Mo Mowlem Biography

On herself:

“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."

"I tried dope. I didn't particularly like it. But unlike President Clinton, I did inhale."

On politics:

“I think good politicians are ones that have many strings to their bow."

On Northern Ireland:

“Many of us would like to make progress much quicker… but we have to bear in mind there are people around that table who have had relatives and friends killed. You don’t forget that overnight.”

“The last thing the people of Northern Ireland need now is an outbreak of recriminations.”

"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."

“There was no metaphorical gun to my head…. Putting my case face-to-face, arguing it through with them, I thought that was the best way to do it.”

"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."

Other quotes:

“…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 there. So there were certain things as I grew up that I suppose made me more political."