She was tipped as a future Prime Minister and has been described 'arguably the most prominent woman politician in the history of the Labour party'. Following a statue of Barbara Castle being unveiled in Blackburn, the town she represented for 34 years, we take a look back at the life, career and legacy of one of the the North West's most influential MPs. Michael Foot called her 'the best Socialist minister we've ever had', while for Tony Blair she was 'one of the dominating figures of the Labour movement of the last 50 years'.
Even Sir Bernard Ingham, Margaret Thatcher's long-serving press secretary, confessed his admiration by comparing her to Boudicca. READ MORE: 'I don't think I would vote Tory again': What Greater Manchester Red Wall
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