I have lived and worked in Britain all my life. Not even in the dark days of penal Labour taxation in the Seventies did I have any intention of leaving the country of my birth.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I was on leave from local and regional politics, as long as I was a Minister.
It could be construed that the reason I wouldn't wish to live in England is the immigration explosion. And that's not true at all.
I was born in London in 1919. I first went to America in 1946 for a three-month holiday. Then I came back, worked here for almost a year sold up my home and went back on immigration in 1947.
I get cross about 13 years of Labour government that brought the country to the state it did.
When I was younger, I always assumed that when I grew up, I would be living in the country, and my kids would be going to a state school. But that's not how things have turned out. I can't see myself being able to leave London.
I grew up in northwest London on a council estate. My parents are Irish immigrants who came over here when they were very young and worked in menial jobs all their lives, and I'm one of many siblings.
I do more work in Britain than I do anywhere else in the world.
The fact is that I loved being in England.
I grew up in Essex, and all my life I wanted to live in London - now I do. I feel very privileged to be able to live here.
I grew up in South Africa, but like many people at that time, I couldn't bear living in the country. The main motivation for moving to Britain was to get away.