In 1997, after Third Way had published a 4,000-word interview of Gerry Adams, it occurred to me that I should seek an interview of the most hated person in Britain, Myra Hindley.

She agreed to correspond with the Christian sociologist Elaine Storkey, and the governor of HMP Durham gave his consent to an interview conducted by postcard. I didn’t inform any of my trustees, for fear that someone would veto it.

Unfortunately, Storkey was not available for some time, and then Hindley was moved to a different prison and I had to submit my request all over again. The wheels of the Home Office grind slowly and then I got distracted, and Hindley died in 2002 before anything could be done.

I deeply regret that this interview never took place. I think it would have been the most important thing I had ever published.