Former government minister Mo Mowlam is due in Brighton today to talk about her time in politics, Northern Ireland and her health.

I tracked down the former minister before she took centre stage at the Brighton Festival.

Mo Mowlam was one of the success stories of the 1997 General Election.

Having been diagnosed with a brain tumour four months before she took office in the Cabinet, she had plenty of determination - and she would need it.

She said: "Having a tumour was not the happiest thing I could have had but I see myself as very lucky that it was benign and not malign.

"It was not easy but I got through it. It made me more and more determined. I am a politician who likes a challenge."

As Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Dr Mowlam faced one of the biggest possible challenges and she rose to it.

One of her priorities was to work towards restoring an IRA ceasefire and to include Sinn Fein in any peace talks on the Good Friday Agreement, which was signed in April 1998.

Dr Mowlam said: "One of the proudest moments of my political career was the Good Friday Agreement which formed the basis of peace and gave us the structure to push for. But it would not have been possible without lots of other people who I believe have given their lives to change."

Working in Northern Ireland also had its low points.

She said: "The Omagh bombing was a very difficult time, when so many people died.

Then there was the Quinn family incident, when three young children died. These are events that you never get out of your head.

"But in general I found the Irish people lovely and the country beautiful."

Born in 1949 in Watford, Mo Mowlam went to school in Coventry before studying at Durham University and the University of Iowa.

After graduation she worked as a research assistant to Tony Benn then as a lecturer and administrator in adult education at the Northern College, Barnsley.

After becoming Labour MP for Redcar in 1987, she was promoted to shadow Northern Ireland secretary in 1994. She took over the real job in 1997 when Labour came to power.

She was replaced by Peter Mendelson in October 1999 and returned to London as Cabinet Minister in charge of co-ordinating and promoting Government policies.

These are all experiences that Dr Mowlam discusses in her new book entitled Momentum, The Struggle for Peace, Politics and the People, which she has been writing since she resigned from government last May.

She said: "I worked on the book every day other than Sundays and ate and slept at night. It was published on May 1. I have tried writing it not for politicians.

"I've tried to make it an accessible book for everyone. I enjoyed writing it. I did not think I would because I was always told I was not good at writing but, after being slow to start with, I got the thing finished. I'm now very relieved that it's done.

"I haven't had time to think about whether I am missing being a member of the Government. No one made me leave. I always said I would not be a pensioner in the corridors of Westminster and also that I wanted to do another job before I finished working.

"I was discontent with decisions that were being centrally made. All these factors combined and I became less and less able to do my job."

As part of the Brighton Festival, Dr Mowlam will be in conversation with Brighton-based broadcaster and journalist Simon Fanshawe at the Gardner Arts Centre at 6pm today. Tickets are £7.

She said: "I'm very much looking forward to the Brighton Festival as I have always wanted to go. I am especially looking forward to working with Simon, who I admire greatly."