Exiled former anti-apartheid activist and United Kingdom Cabinet Minister, Lord Peter Hain, discusses South Africa, the results of worldwide unrest, and threats to democracy.
Lord Hain’s South African parents were imprisoned, banned and forcibly exiled during the freedom struggle. During 1969–1970, then 19-year-old Peter Hain led anti-apartheid campaigns to stop all-white South African sports tours. From 1991–2015, he was a Member of Parliament for Neath and a Privy Councillor. He served in the UK Labour Government for 12 years, seven of these in the Cabinet. Lord Hain also served as a Foreign Minister with successive duties for Africa, the Middle East and Europe. He was instrumental in negotiating the 2007 agreement that put an end to the conflict in Northern Ireland. He has chaired the United Nations Security Council and negotiated international treaties. In addition, he served as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Secretary of State for Wales, Leader of the House of Commons and Energy Minister.
His memoirs Outside In were published in 2012. A brief but readable biography he authored Mandela: His Essential Life was published in 2018. His two thrillers about corruption and poaching set in South Africa, The Rhino Conspiracy and its sequel The Elephant Conspiracy, were released in 2020 and 2022, respectively. In 2021, his South African autobiography, A Pretoria Boy, was released. Lord Hain is married with two sons and seven grandchildren. He holds degrees from Sussex University and Queen Mary University of London. He has spent more than 30 years residing in South Wales.
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