SpAdCast: What is it really like to be a special adviser? Episode 2: Relationships

A transcript of this episode is available in the Supporting Documents section below. 

Special advisers are some of the most important yet misunderstood figures in government. They play vital roles – as the voice of their minister in the department, shaping policy agendas and managing the media.

As a new government gets up and running and scores of new SpAds get to grips with their roles, this four-part series lifts the lid on what SpAds do, how they do it, and why they’re indispensable to modern government.

In the second episode, we’re focusing on how important relationships are to any SpAd’s job. We start by discussing the importance of trust and understanding between SpAds and their secretary of state – how is this relationship built, and why is it so critical? And what about junior ministers – how do SpAds work with them?

The link between SpAds and the civil servants they work with is also vital. We look at their links with both the secretary of state’s and their own private offices, as well as what they thought about the civil service overall, and whether anything frustrated them.