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Sat 05 May 2009Carol Ann Duffy becomes first female poet laureate of Britain
QUEEN ELIZABETH has appointed Carol Ann Duffy as Britain’s new poet laureate – the first woman, and the first Scot, to hold the post since its creation 341 years ago.
Duffy (53) was regarded as runner-up to Andrew Motion 10 years ago but ruled out, according to some accounts, because Tony Blair feared her sexuality might not play well with “Middle England”. Yesterday, however, she said she had thought “long and hard” about accepting her appointment before embracing it “as a recognition of the great woman poets we have writing now”.
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