Jimmy McGovern & Reg Keys

Jimmy McGovern's 'Reg' starts on BBC 1 on Monday 6 June. Reg Keys is the father of 20-year-old Lance Corporal Thomas Keys, one of six Royal Military policemen killed in Iraq in June 2003. Reg directed his anger at Tony Blair, “because he took us to war on a lie” and his defiant gesture and quiet moral authority make for a moving story about injustice and a world of pain behind every casualty of war. Jimmy has said, “It was an honour to meet Reg Keys, a truly remarkable man, and it has been a privilege to tell this part of his story.” Introduced to Reg by Felicity Arbuthnot, we persuaded Reg to stand against Tony Blair in the 2005 general election. Brian Eno then put up money for Reg's campaign and helped me organise the first press conference in his studio. You can read about all this in 'Left Field'. I too am proud to have known this remarkable man and to have played a small part in helping him against Blair. After the death of his son, followed by that of his wife Sally who died in 2011 'of a broken heart', I wish him every happiness in his future life with Jenny.