SOME of this country's best known political and literary figures will be in the region next month to take part in the Southwold Literature Festival.The event is being organised by the Ways With Words group and is taking place from Thursday, November 13 to Monday, November 17.

SOME of this country's best known political and literary figures will be in the region next month to take part in the Southwold Literature Festival.

The event is being organised by the Ways With Words group and is taking place from Thursday, November 13 to Monday, November 17.

Lord Hurd, who as Douglas Hurd was a prominent Cabinet member in successive Conservative Governments will be giving his personal views of the events that shaped his life at the centre of British politics.

Events being discussed include the characters and conflicts of the Thatcher and Major years, the collapse of communism in eastern Europe, the 1991 Gulf War, the Balkan crisis and the handover of Hong Kong.

Lord Hurd's personal memoirs of events provide a fascinating look at the workings of Cabinet-style Government and he will be speaking at St Edmund's Hall, Southwold, from 5.30pm on Friday, November 14.

Also speaking at St Edmund's Hall, on Friday, November 13, is Baroness Williams, leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords.

From noon Shirley Williams will be talking about the relationship between Christian teaching, the church and public life and considering the impact her faith has on her political career.

Other speakers at the festival include the former BBC war correspondent and ex-MP Martin Bell, broadcaster Joan Bakewell and Ronald Blythe who will be discussing his experiences of village church life in Suffolk.

On Sunday, November 16, Sir John Mortimer will be a literary dinner being held at the Swan Hotel, Southwold, from 7.30pm.

Following his best seller, "Summer of a Doormouse" he will be delivering more wickedly funny lessons in living and growing old disgracefully in his new book "Where There's a Will".

On Monday, November 17, the festival hosts a day of talks about wildlife and the environment with speakers including George Monbiot, Colin Tudge, Richard Mabey, Mark Carwardine and Charlotte Uhlenbroek.

Tickets are still available for individual events or for group bookings including residential packages at the Swan and Crown Hotels in Southwold.

More details are available from Ways With Words, telephone 01803 867373, or from the website www.wayswithwords.co.uk

Personal callers can get more information from the Orwell Bookshop in Southwold.