Former Labour MP Credits Shakespeare for Speech Recovery Following Stroke
Jonathan Ashworth, the former Labour MP for Leicester South, has disclosed how he turned to the works of William Shakespeare to regain his ability to speak after suffering a stroke at the age of 47. The incident occurred on New Year's Day, leaving Ashworth initially fearful that he might never talk again.
CBE Honour and Personal Struggle
On Tuesday, Ashworth was honoured with a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) by the Princess Royal at Windsor Castle, in recognition of his political and parliamentary service, as well as his charity work. Previously a senior figure in Sir Keir Starmer's opposition team, serving as shadow health secretary, Ashworth shared his recovery journey with journalists after the investiture ceremony.
"I was so worried I would not be able to speak at the investiture," Ashworth admitted. "I found out I was getting honoured for my work on behalf of children of alcoholics, and then a couple of days later, I was hit with a stroke. But I'm recovering—one of life's funny coincidences, I suppose."
Shakespeare's Role in Rehabilitation
During his recovery at Leicester Royal Infirmary, Ashworth recited lines from Shakespeare's Hamlet as a crucial step to test his speech and memory. "They must have thought me very eccentric in the hospital, because I sat there quoting Shakespeare monologues," he said. "There's a monologue about how a man is so infinite in his faculties and so noble in his movement and reason, and yet in the end, it's just dust. Bit of a depressing monologue, probably not the most cheery to talk about on a day of celebration like this."
This unconventional therapy method proved instrumental in his rehabilitation, highlighting the power of literature in medical recovery processes.
Advocacy and Future in Politics
Ashworth, whose father died of alcoholism, is a patron of the National Association for Children of Alcoholics (NACOA). He expressed being "particularly moved and touched" when the Lord Chamberlain mentioned his advocacy work during the ceremony. Despite stepping down as chief executive of the think-tank Labour Together in July, Ashworth refused to rule out a return to frontline politics, quoting Tony Benn: "There's no final defeats or final victories, you just keep on going."
Other Honourees at Windsor Castle
The investiture ceremony also recognised other notable individuals. D-Day veteran Bernard Morgan, aged 102 from Crewe, Cheshire, was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to volunteering and history. The former RAF codebreaker, who deciphered the telegram announcing German surrender, now volunteers with the Imperial War Museum, speaking to school pupils about the Second World War.
Morgan shared an anecdote with the Princess Royal, reminding her of a childhood encounter when he found her without security at a show-jumping competition. "I got to the entrance, there she was sat on the grass verge, no police there," he recalled. His grandson, Paul Borrington, confirmed that Anne did remember the incident.
Additionally, TV sports presenter Hazel Irvine, 60, was made an MBE for her services to broadcasting and charity. The Scot, who co-presented the BBC's coverage of this year's Winter Olympics and has worked on Olympic Games since 1988, reflected on the evolving nature of sports broadcasting. "I'm a bit long in the tooth in these things," she said. "Everybody finds their way of doing anything in life. And you obviously try to constantly evolve, because there's so many different things you have to know in this digital world."
Irvine admitted to being "a bit old-fashioned" in her preparation techniques, emphasising that while her methods are tried and trusted for her, they may not work for everyone else in the fast-paced media landscape.
