[1] During World War II she studied at Yale University, and then took an MA in philosophy, politics and economics at St Anne's College, Oxford.

[4][5] She became a government whip shortly after appointment and was subsequently promoted to minister of state in the Department for Education.

[9] Thatcher thought that Young "was perhaps too consistent an advocate of caution on all occasions" and was not an effective leader in the Lords.

In later life she was known for her staunch opposition to gay rights; as an obituary put it: "The wellspring of her moral activism was her belief in Christian marriage and family life, her concern for children's welfare and her belief that as a Conservative she should stand up against what she saw as the slide towards an entirely secular society.

"[10] She worked to try to stop legislation going through that would allow unmarried couples (including gay men and women) to adopt children,[10] led campaigns in the House of Lords to prevent equalisation of the age of consent for homosexual men with that of heterosexuals,[11] and also fought the repeal of Section 28.