SpAdCast: What is it really like to be a special adviser? – podcast series
What it is really like to do one of the most demanding – and influential – jobs in Whitehall, Westminster and beyond.
Episodes in the series
SpAdCast: What is it really like to be a special adviser? Episode 1: Into government
This special four-part series lifts the lid on what SpAds do, how they do it, and why they’re indispensable to modern government.
SpAdCast: What is it really like to be a special adviser? Episode 2: Relationships
How important are relationships to any SpAd’s job?
SpAdCast: What is it really like to be a special adviser? Episode 3: Beyond the department
How special advisers' relationships with No.10 and the Treasury work.
SpAdcast: What is it really like to be a special adviser? Episode 4: Moving on
In this final episode, we look at how SpAd careers end. And our interviewees reflect on their time in government.
What we talk about in this series
Special advisers and the Johnson government
How Boris Johnson's changes to the role of special advisers disempowered ministers and undermined the quality of decision making in government.
What makes a successful special adviser?
An expert panel featuring Sonia Khan and Baroness Sally Morgan considered what skills are needed to be an effective special adviser.
Support for special advisers
The IfG Academy can help new and potential future special advisers understand how government works, what ministers want from their teams and how they can get the best out of the officials in their departments.
Find out more