Richard Whiteley interviews Edna Healey and Colleen Rees, wives of Leeds MPs Denis Healey and Merlyn Rees, about their roles and what life is really like at Downing Street. Title: YORKSHIRE TELEVISION Colour Production Colourful graphics based on various views of stylised male and female heads in profile introduce the programme. Title: CALENDAR PEOPLE Title: Richard Whiteley Richard introduces the programme and talks about the forthcoming content. A still picture of Denis Healey...

Richard Whiteley interviews Edna Healey and Colleen Rees, wives of Leeds MPs Denis Healey and Merlyn Rees, about their roles and what life is really like at Downing Street. Title: YORKSHIRE TELEVISION Colour Production Colourful graphics based on various views of stylised male and female heads in profile introduce the programme. Title: CALENDAR PEOPLE Title: Richard Whiteley Richard introduces the programme and talks about the forthcoming content. A still picture of Denis Healey current Chancellor of the Exchequer appears on screen followed by a photograph of Merlyn Rees the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Both MP’s have constituencies in Leeds The view changes to the two guests who are the wives of the two men. Richard introduces them, Mrs Edna Healey and Mrs Colleen Rees. The audience applauds. When Richard asks if they often meet, they answer yes, usually in Leeds. Richard asks which other cabinet ministers’ wives they know. Audrey Callaghan wife of James Callaghan is the only one Colleen mentions, Edna says she knows most of them. Richard asks about the Healey’s residence which is number 11 Downing Street. Edna describes the interior. Title: Edna Healey She describes it as sometimes very lonely as Prime Minister Harold Wilson and his wife opted not to live in number 10. There are no staff employed at number 11. Richard turns his attention to Colleen Rees and he mentions that she has a choice of four residences which they can occupy. She says they have a house in Leeds and one in London. Title: Colleen Rees They also have a tiny flat in Admiralty House and they have access to a bedroom at Stormont House in Northern Ireland. Edna points out that they are really caretakers while they are in these properties and move out quickly when the job finishes. Richard asks about the moment they move into these houses, following success at a general election. Colleen replies that they are a mixed blessing, as you go into them with a certain amount of trepidation and a lot of work. Edna describes leaving the accommodation is sad as you do a final routine check before closing the door. Edna describes moving her husband’s book collection is a formidable task, so moving into number 11 was somewhat tiring. Richard asks Colleen how much of a home life she has, and how often does she see her husband, Merlyn. She says she sees him quite often, but it depends on the job they are doing. As the wife of the Northern Ireland Secretary of State she is involved in some of her husband’s work, however there are times when she won’t see him at all, often for days. Edna sums up the impact on family life as the minister in his role needs high energy capacity working up to 17 hours a day every day of the week, with possibly a week’s holiday in a year. Richard asks the women about the impact of travelling away from London to come to the Leeds constituencies. Both women look forward to it, and despite their high office in London the two men benefit being amongst their constituents. Richard asks if their husbands offload problems, conversations, or other items from their working day when they arrive home. Colleen says not, she says they don’t want to talk about the day’s events and Edna agrees. Often their husbands will arrive home and just want to sit quietly for a while and allow the presence of the day in their minds slip away as much as possible. Richard asks if having husbands in such high government positions affects their children in any way. Edna Healey answers for both women when she says that they try to protect them from the disadvantages of having a famous surname. Richard asks whether public criticism in the media affects the children. Colleen tells of a strike in Northern Ireland where most of the newspapers were very much against Merlyn Rees’s handling of the crisis at the time. She says their elder sons were hurt by the reported comments as it was the first time it had happened to them. Colleen put the press reaction in context and explained to her children that comments like that are part being in high office, whichever party you belong. Edna says that if they look through history they will learn of predecessors in high positions in government, do not have an easy passage. Richard asks if Edna’s children are embarrassed about who they are, she replies yes. Colleen agrees but she says her children don’t talk about it. Richard asks if they would support their children if they wanted to go into politics and they say they would. Richard asks Edna Healey what it is like to be the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s wife. She replies that being an MP’s wife seems to give you access to people, from grand events to visiting workers in a shipyard, then perhaps meeting the archbishop of Canterbury. Both women enjoy these contrasts in the work. Edna Healey outlines the roles for both husbands who work at such a high level. Firstly, both men are part of a political party, secondly they represent a constituency, thirdly they are also member of parliament which also demands their time along with the fourth role, running a large ministry. Richard asks both women if they are ambitious for their husbands. Colleen says that her husband has reached a high position already, so perhaps she is currently less ambitious. Edna outlines the demands made upon an incumbent in high office. But if you feel your husband is right for the job you must support him, but not actively push for it. Richard asks Edna whether she would like Denis to be prime minister. She replies no, as she thinks the present prime minister, Harold Wilson is performing very well. Colleen says that in politics you never look beyond the next election or cabinet reshuffle, you just bide your time. Richard asks Edna Healey what life is like in number 11 Downing Street on the eve of budget day. She says it runs very smoothly both before and on the day. In reply to Richard’s question about prior knowledge, Edna says that Denis does not tell her what’s coming up in the budget. Richard asks about the women’s awareness of other politicians and their problems. He touches on Margaret Thatcher the leader of the conservative opposition. Colleen says she has not met her, while Edna says she has only met her once. They both wryly comment that they hope she remains leader of the opposition for a long time. Richard asks the two women if they would like a position in government. Edna says no, one member of parliament is enough in the family. Asked what she finds irritating about her husband, Colleen says that when he comes home from work despite being tired, he goes around checking that the various tasks that she was expected to do during the day have been completed. Richard asks Edna a similar question and Edna replies she won’t answer. Richard thanks his guests for the interview and closes the programme. Title: CALENDAR PEOPLE Tonight Featured Credits: Edna Healey and Colleen Rees Talking to Richard Whiteley Director - Charles Flynn Producer – John Meade Editor – John Wilford YORKSHIRE TELEVISION Colour Production End Title © Trident Television Ltd 1975