SpAdCast: What is it really like to be a special adviser? Episode 3: Beyond the department

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 third episode, we look at how SpAds’ work extends beyond their own departments. Government is complicated, so no-one can do one of these jobs effectively without working with other departments across Whitehall.

Most SpAds will be in regular contact with the centre – No.10 and the Treasury. So how do those relationships work? How powerful is No.10 in reality, and what is it like to negotiate with the Treasury?

SpAds also need to work effectively with other departments, so we discuss the importance of the cross-government SpAd network.

Finally, we hear about the importance of maintaining good relations with those outside government – including parliament, their party, and external stakeholders.