FORMER Blackburn MP Barbara Castle’s role in the Profumo sex scandal featured large in the new BBC TV drama series ‘The Trial of Christine Keeler’.

The future Labour cabinet minister’s March 1963 questions about an alleged affair between Miss Keeler and a powerful government minister helped launched the chain of events which helped bring the Tory government down in 1964.

War Minister John Profumo came to the House of Commons and made a personal statement denying any liaison which proved to be a lie, prompting his resignation and later that of Prime Minister Harold Macmillan.

He was replaced by Sir Alec Douglas-Home who was defeated by Labour under Harold Wilson.

Mrs Castle started a lengthy ministerial career after that victory holding several key Cabinet posts and introducing speed limits, breathalysers, seat belts and the 1970 Equal Pay Act.

Her contribution features in episode three. The late Lady Castle, played by Buffy Davis, was Labour MP for Blackburn from 1945 to 1979.