▁with ▁Ru pert ▁Mur do ch , ▁whom ▁G ove ▁described ▁in ▁evidence ▁before ▁the ▁Le ves on ▁In qu iry ▁as ▁" one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁impress ive ▁and ▁significant ▁figures ▁of ▁the ▁last ▁ 5 0 ▁years ". ▁He ▁wrote ▁a ▁sympath etic ▁bi ography ▁of ▁Michael ▁Port illo ▁and ▁a ▁highly ▁critical ▁study ▁of ▁the ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁peace ▁process ▁( The ▁Price ▁of ▁Peace ), ▁where ▁he ▁compared ▁the ▁Good ▁Friday ▁Ag re ement ▁to ▁appe as ement ▁of ▁the ▁Naz is ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s . ▁ ▁He ▁has ▁worked ▁for ▁the ▁BBC ' s ▁Today ▁programme , ▁On ▁The ▁Record , ▁Scottish ▁Television ▁and ▁the ▁Channel ▁ 4 ▁current ▁affairs ▁programme ▁A ▁St ab ▁in ▁the ▁Dark , ▁alongside ▁David ▁B add iel ▁and ▁Trace y ▁Mac Le od , ▁and ▁was ▁a ▁regular ▁pan ell ist ▁on ▁BBC ▁Radio ▁ 4 ' s ▁The ▁Mor al ▁Maz e ▁and ▁News night ▁Review ▁on ▁BBC ▁Two . ▁ ▁Political ▁career ▁▁ ▁He ▁briefly ▁joined ▁the ▁Labour ▁Party ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁in ▁Aber de en , ▁but ▁has ▁stated ▁that ▁by ▁the ▁time ▁he ▁left ▁to ▁go ▁to ▁Oxford ▁University ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁Conserv ative . ▁G ove ▁joined ▁the ▁Oxford ▁University ▁Conserv ative ▁Association ▁and ▁was ▁secretary ▁of ▁Aber de en ▁South ▁Young ▁Conserv atives . ▁He ▁helped ▁to ▁write ▁speech es ▁for ▁Cab inet ▁and ▁Sh adow ▁Cab inet ▁minister s , ▁including ▁Peter ▁L ille y ▁and ▁Michael ▁Howard