Rhubarb 2017

ST EDWARD’S r h u b a r b

5

You must have had a great time – what was your favourite moment? I thoroughly enjoyed this period and a couple of stories really stand out, particularly foreign trips. My favourite was persuading ITV to let me go on an Arctic adventure with a handful of MPs. It was a joy watching an unknown Liberal Democrat MP, Nick Clegg, trying to cajole a couple of Tory MPs into helping him build an igloo that would be safe enough to sleep in. I, meanwhile, spent the night in another igloo being kicked in the head by a woman Labour MP. It was certainly an experience. I also made a lobby trip to the Gulf with former British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, which had an interesting moment. We were in a hotel in Saudi Arabia when I asked him how he felt about the fact that I, as a woman, was unable to walk outside without being covered from head to foot. He was lost for words and came up to me afterwards to protest about the questions – as did his special adviser and the British Ambassador to Saudi. At that point, I knew I’d hit a nerve. I can’t let this opportunity go by – was there any politician which you met in those years, who you felt was under- rated?They say no one is a hero to their valet, but I wonder if being close up to any politician made you think - this person is someone the country should know better? Nick Clegg got a terrible bashing which was a pity. He is a decent man and I genuinely think he put the country before politics. But he was never forgiven for reneging on the student loans promise and for getting into bed with the Tories. The Lib Dems prevented the Tories from going too right wing. I think David Cameron was relying on that coalition lasting after 2015 (if Labour didn’t win) so the Referendum would never have taken place. Unfortunately, it did. Ed Miliband was also much better in the flesh. He was very personable and amusing but sadly for him that didn’t translate on TV. His brother, David, may have been a better leader but he was much colder and less personable. Actually, I found him pretty arrogant. George Osborne is also better in person. Again, he appears posh and snarling. He’s certainly calculating and an extremely political beast. But he wasn’t the ‘Lord Snooty’ that the public thought. Sometimes things happen in a glorious rush in politics, and it can be utterly captivating.Was there any period in your covering theWestminster scene that was more interesting than others? I think the most exciting political moments

That’s a very loaded phrase at the moment, given whatTheresa May said at the Conservative Party Conference in 2016. How has the big story of the day – Brexit – felt from Denmark? As a political correspondent for ITV News, it was always important to stay as impartial as possible on all things political. I would say that up until 2015/2016, that was fairly easy to do. But since the EU Referendum, I have found it increasingly difficult. I don’t want to say too much as I’d like to keep the possibility of reporting from Berlin open, but watching the UK from abroad has been both fascinating and depressing. I know that a number of OSE voted for Brexit (I have been engaged in rather heated debates on social media with some!), but I still can’t believe that we are really going through with it. All I can say is that, thanks to free movement, I feel extremely lucky to have been able to live and work in Denmark and – soon - Germany. I do hope that whatever happens with Brexit, pupils at St Edward’s will have the same opportunities as I have had. Do you have any advice forTeddies pupils and OSE at the start of their careers? My advice to OSE (male and female) is do something that you enjoy. Work is always tough and exhausting but if you enjoy it then at least it makes it easier. The money is, of course, important but I have watched too many of my friends stuck in careers they don’t enjoy and being dreadfully unhappy. They don’t feel they can leave because of the money. I feel lucky to have been in Westminster and covering some extraordinary stories. But working abroad has also been fantastic and life-changing too.

have been in the last two years and sadly I have missed those since moving to Copenhagen. There has been such a shift in British politics that I am unsure where it’s all headed at the moment. But the financial crash in 2008 was fascinating to watch and suddenly our jobs as political correspondents became much more about economics and finance. I had great respect for Alistair Darling - and still do (just as I have respect for Philip Hammond who is the perfect accountant for the job at hand). The coalition was interesting to report on because there were so many open disagreements between Cameron and Clegg. But despite that, it is amazing that they managed to hold it together and achieve so much. The Lib Dems were such a tiny outfit compared to the weighty Tories, but they gave them a good run for their money. What have you done since your Westminster days? I left the Westminster job in 2013, when my husband and I decided to do something completely different and move to Copenhagen. From there I’ve been freelancing for BBC World (reporting on the last two series of Horizons); Al Jazeera English; various papers and magazines including The Spectator, Huffington Post, and RTE Radio. We wanted to discover whether Denmark really was the happiest nation on earth. Nick and I have two children - Charlie who’s six and Cecelia who’s seven months, so an important factor was the heavily subsidized childcare in Denmark. It is one of the highest taxed nations on earth, and that can hurt! But you get a lot for your money. Even the private international school our son was at was subsidized by the state. As I answer your questions, we are preparing to make another move to Berlin, but the affordable rents, and the amazing work-life balance has been wonderful here. It’s not perfect but I think we will really

F E A T U R E S

miss it when we leave. It’s been great to get out of the UK for a bit and to see how another country operates. We’ve also met some great people from all over the world. For example, our son was at school with the grandchild of Nelson and Winnie Mandela, because their daughter, Zindzi, is the South African Ambassador to Denmark. I feel so lucky that my husband and I have been able to use our careers to work abroad and see a little bit more of the world. I feel proud to be a citizen of the world!

Alex and her family