First female Poet Laureate

Carol Ann Duffy has been named as the new Poet Laureate, the first woman to be appointed in the 341-year history of the post. She succeeds Andrew Motion who has been Poet Laureate since 1999.

Some of her poems are taught for GCSE English.

She has said she will donate her yearly honorarium for the new post to the Poetry Society to fund a prize for the best collection of the year.

The job also comes with a payment of a "butt of sack" or, in modern terms, about 600 bottles of sherry.

Read more about Carol Ann Duffy.

Listen to interview.