period (1981-83), when Michael was Labour Party leader, had been devastating: Some things helped me--the Byron Society--Byron helped me to recover from that. He never gave in. Just after the election, I was becoming quite active in it [the Society]. I read, by the way, Don Juan, in hospital after I had been elected leader of the Labour Party. I had slipped coming down the stairs and broken my ankle [and surgery was necessary to put it right]. The only way to read Don Juan is right through and that's what I did. I spent the whole of Christmas doing so--leader of the Labour Party I was supposed to be [he laughed] ... it [Don Juan] put me in a good temper.