LORD Longford sits in a radio studio and takes a question from a listener about his campaign to free Myra Hindley: éDo you regret it?é

The answer is provided in Longford (Channel 4, October 26, 9pm), a feature-length drama set in the last three decades of the Labour peerés life.

Ités a thoughtful portrait of his relationship with the child-killer during the period he fought to win Hindleyés release on licence.

Jim Broadbent gives an astonishing performance as the man who was born Frank Pakenham. Oscar-nominated actress Samantha Morton plays Hindley as the dark-haired woman she became after her 1966 trial. éWhat a pretty smile you have,é Longford tells her on his first prison visit.

Believing that she acted under the spell of lover Ian Brady, the former Cabinet minister did not see any reason why Hindley could not be treated like any other life prisoner, and one day released.

We see Hindley taken from Holloway Prison in London on a secret two-hour trip to nearby Hampstead Heath, where she walks, almost free, among children playing with their kites and mothers pushing prams.

The prison governor asks her: éHow does it feel?é Hindley replies: éWonderful.é The governor, anxious to encourage her rehabilitation, adds: éThis is how it will be for you one day.é

Unknown to both women, a photographer sits nearby and the outing becomes headline news, provoking public outrage. It was a familiar pattern.

But it was another photo that haunted Hindley to her grave é the bleached blonde black and white mugshot taken after her arrest. Together with frequent tabloid stories, it ensured she remained a child-killing monster in the eyes of the masses.

That, in turn, meant, that whatever the arguments about the treatment of prisoners in a civilised society, no government could ever sanction Hindleyés release. Longford took up a highly-unpopular cause without realising it could never be won. But the strength of his conviction shines through in this 90-minute drama.

It includes archive news footage of the search for bodies on Saddleworth Moor, Longfordés appearances on TV pleading Hindleyés case for release and film of Ann West é mother of child victim Lesley Ann Downey é asking him: éWhen will I get my parole?é

Andy Serkis is on screen as Ian Brady for just a few short, but powerful, scenes. éStay clear of Myra, because she will destroy you,é warns the child-killer, who mocks his former loverés claims to have reformed and embraced Catholicism. In another disturbing encounter, he describes Hindley as a éstrongé woman. éThat came in handy when they were wriggling and trying to get away é it was her that insisted they call us mummy and daddy, not me.é

Sadist

He adds: éTo me, she was a brutal sadist and a cruel killer with not an ounce of remorse in her.é

Longford is eventually persuaded by others to end his association with Hindley. But heés drawn back when she tries to escape from prison. éKeep praying, Myra,é is his advice as she despairs of ever seeing the outside world again.

Transferred to Durham Prison, heés shocked to see her under the éliquid coshé é drugged by medication. In later years, ités Hindley who tells him that his campaign has done her more harm than good.

But ités when he finally listens to the awful tape of Lesley Ann being tortured and killed by Hindley and Brady that Longford appears to realise he may have made a mistake.

Writer Peter Morgan says: éTo be honest, I still donét really know what I make of Myra. I could argue both for her prosecution and her defence. I tried as hard as I could not to judge. Thereés been such a one dimensional view of her, largely from the press.é

He was intrigued by the relationship between Longford and Hindley. éI just thought é what an exotic recipe. Two interesting ingredients. I was left with a sense of wasted lives to some degree and a sad friendship. I donét think it was one where they mutually helped one another, particularly.é

Durham jail

Having followed the aftermath of the Moors Murders case for over a quarter of a century, I spoke to Lord Longford countless times. One morning I dashed to try and find him at Kings Cross station in London before he boarded the train north to see Hindley in Durham jail.

I found him queuing on the concourse, where he agreed to an interview on condition I écarried his bags on to the train. He was a very bright man.

Jim Broadbent, who has captured his look and spirit, recalls: éWhen we went into one of the prisons and I was in full kit, one of the warders said, éOh, Christ, I thought weéd got rid of that *******.é

Some will view Longford as a misguided fool, taken in by Hindley, the rest of his lifeés work overshadowed by support for an already lost cause.

But this film shows a man true to his faith, who had been a prison visitor since the 1930s. éNo human being is beyond forgiveness,é he insists. éCondemn people from our armchairs and what have we become?é

Longford died in August, 2001 at the age of 95. Just over 15 months later, Hindley, 60, was also dead, having served 36 years in prison.

At their last meeting, she apologises for not telling him the whole truth. And her final words to him in this must-watch TV drama? éA fine pair we are.é

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