Working to make government more effective

Working to make government more effective

Ministers Reflect

Interviews with former ministers on the realities of the role and how to be effective in government.

Our Ministers Reflect series of interviews includes more than 150 conversations with former ministers from the UK and devolved governments. They discuss the reality of being a minister, reflect on what they wish they had known about the job before they began, and offer advice to new ministers taking on the role.

Our interviews are regularly used by civil servants, policy makers and academics to inform their work.

Our quote bank compiles some of the best insights from our interviews, categorised by topic.

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Displaying 31 - 40 of 171
29 JUN 2022 Interview
Maria Miller

Maria Miller

Maria Miller reflects on her career as a minister, including her time as secretary of state for culture, media and sport.

14 JUN 2022 Interview
Caroline Dinenage

Caroline Dinenage

Caroline Dinenage discusses the support she received from the civil service and working with three different prime ministers.

26 JAN 2022 Interview
Michael Russell

Michael Russell

Michael Russell reflects on his role as Scottish cabinet secretary for education, and as the minister responsible for UK-EU relations during Brexit.

12 JAN 2022 Interview
Eric Pickles

Eric Pickles

Lord Pickles considers his five years as secretary of state for communities and local government.

29 NOV 2021 Interview
Hazel Blears

Hazel Blears

Hazel Blears was interviewed on 29 November 2021 for the Institute for Government’s Ministers Reflect project.

24 NOV 2021 Interview
Johnny Mercer

Johnny Mercer

Johnny Mercer discusses his work on veterans’ issues, trying to pass legislation in parliament. He also discusses working with Boris Johnson.

17 NOV 2021 Interview
Estelle Morris

Estelle Morris

Baroness Morris talks about her six years in DfE, including her perspective as a former teacher and the shift to a targets-orientated culture.

12 OCT 2021 Interview
Alun Davies

Alun Davies

Alun Davies was interviewed on 12 October 2021 for the Institute for Government’s Ministers Reflect project.

05 OCT 2021 Interview
Jeane Freeman

Jeane Freeman

Jeane Freeman was interviewed on 5 October 2021 for the Institute for Government’s Ministers Reflect project.

01 OCT 2021 Interview
Danny Kennedy

Danny Kennedy

Danny Kennedy reflects on his time as minister relations within the Northern Ireland executive and assembly and the challenges of cross-party working.