HEAR the personal story of a prominent politician as An Evening with Alan Johnson comes to Dorchester Arts.

Now a bestselling author with his memoirs having sold half a million copies to date, the talk is inspired by Alan's latest book, In My Life. He will recall the trials and tribulations of his personal and political life while sharing some of his favourite musical tracks.

Alan was born in London in 1950. After his father abandoned the family, Alan was effectively orphaned at the age of 13 when his mother died. He began working as a postman when he was 18, going on to become a branch official for the Union of Communication Workers and joining the Labour Party in 1971.

Alan became an MP for Hull West and Hussle in the 1997 general election. He achieved his first ministerial post in 1999 and was appointed by the then Prime Minister Tony Blair to the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in 2004. Subsequent positions included Education Secretary, Health Secretary and Home Secretary, the latter of which he held under Gordon Brown between 2009 and 2010. In October 2010, Alan was appointed as Shadow Chancellor, but resigned just three and a half months later.

Leading up to the 2016 referendum, Alan pushed for Britain to remain in the European Union, chairing the Labour In For Britain campaign. The following year, he left politics to focus on writing.

Alan is the author of four memories, with the first two, This Boy and Please, Mister Postman, exploring his extraordinary childhood in 1950s London. His third book, The Long and Winding Road, begins with Alan meeting his father for the first time in 30 years, before taking readers through his career as a parliamentary MP.

In My Life explores the integral part music plays in Alan's world. He transports readers to a time of jukeboxes, smokey coffee shops and dingy dance halls, sharing the hits of his favourite stars from Bob Dylan and David Bowie to Bruce Springsteen and, of course, The Beatles.

An Evening with Alan Johnson will take place at Dorchester Corn Exchange on Wednesday, October 2. Tickets are £19 or £17 for concessions, and available to purchase from the Dorchester Arts website or by contacting the box office.