Ann Widdecombe, the Conservatives' spokesman on home affairs, burst into song when she was subjected to The Weekend Magazine's Behind Closed Doors questioning during a visit to the Daily Echo's offices at Redbridge.

When she finished she burst out laughing and said "You look totally blank. I'm showing my age"

What is your role in the community I am a member of Parliament, which means I have the job of representing my constituents at Westminster.

What one thing have you always wanted to do but never had the chance Go down the Nile.

What is the most expensive present you have ever bought for somebody else I used to buy expensive presents for my nephews and nieces when they were very small and they were growing up in a vicarage so there was a limit to the amount that their parents could give them.And when they wanted things like slides in the garden Aunt Ann used to provide it.

What's the most you've ever spent on yourself I take myself on holiday to see my Chinese nanny every four or five years to Singapore so that is quite expensive - several thousand pounds.

What are you reading at the moment Eleanor f Aquitaine. I'm very interested in history.

Who was your childhood hero and is it still the same today I don't think it is the same today. It used to be Captain Scott. I was very, very, very stirred by the story of Captain Scott. I think today my heroes are of a rather different type and I think perhaps people loke Louis Pasteur (inventor of pasteurisation) and Alexander Fleming (who invented penicillin) have had a massive impact on our way of life through their work.

What newspapers do you take and why I read nearly all of them as much as they are available at work. I take on a daily basis The Telegrapgh.

What would you like written on your headstone Go tell the chief whip Passes by That here alack Unpaired I lie

Who was your first love Dr Kildare

What was you first record The Witch Doctor by Fray Mills: "My friend the witch doctor He told me what to say My friend the witch doctor He told me what to do I know that you'll be mine When I say this to you" (sings) Eh,Ah, Oh Ah Ah Ting Tang Tang Walla walla bang bang

Do you have a millennium resolution Other than not to make any more resolutions, no

If you could have three wishes what would they be I would like my mother to have a long and healthy old age; I would like young people on inner city council estates to grow up with aspiration; and I would want the Conservatives to win the next election.

What is your crowning moment of your life so far Being born

What would you change about Southampton or Britain I think the thing I would change about Britain is the total collapse of a social consensus of what is right or wrong. When I was growing up in the Fifties everybody spoke with one voice: parents, teachers, Church, media, establishemnt. There was a common standard. It was also an age of mass hypocrisy because odd people broke the standard in private but there was a standard on which people believed society should be modelled to which everybody was signed up as an ideal. I regret the collaspe of that.

Describe your ideal partner A non-existent one

How do you spend your days off I don't have days off in the traditional sense of a regular day off but I take my days off in little blocks so that every coulpe of months I'll have three or four days off and I do enjoy walking and especiallly hil walking.

How would your best friend describe you I don't know what God will say to me when I arrive

What have you got on your bedside table Three alarm clocks, the third set quite a way from me

If you could change one thing about your appearance what would it be (Pause) Nothing

Who would be your ideal dinner guest Cliff Richard. I don't know him - that's why he would be my ideal dinner guest

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.