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.

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Displaying 31 - 40 of 156
22 JUN 2021 Interview

Andrew Lansley

Andrew Lansley reflects on the development of the 2012 Health and Social Care Act, and on its legacy on the NHS.

12 FEB 2021 Interview

Baroness Fairhead

Baroness Fairhead was interviewed on 12 February 2021 for the Institute for Government’s Ministers Reflect project.

26 JAN 2021 Interview

Andrew Murrison

Andrew Murrison discusses the particularities of the Ministry of Defense and the Northern Ireland Office.

11 JAN 2021 Interview

Nick Hurd

Nick Hurd reflects on his experience working in five departments, for three prime ministers, over nearly a decade.

08 JAN 2021 Interview

Lord Duncan

Lord Duncan of Springbank was interviewed on 8 January 2021 for the Institute for Government’s Ministers Reflect project.

08 JAN 2021 Interview

Margot James

Margot James reflects on serving in a government with a small parliamentary majority and during the political turmoil of exiting the European Union.

01 DEC 2020 Interview

Amber Rudd

Amber Rudd reflects on her time working with three different prime ministers, the implications of the EU referendum and resigning as home secretary.

09 NOV 2020 Interview

Jeremy Wright

Jeremy Wright reflects on giving legal advice to government, the styles of different PMs and the importance of DCMS as an economic department.

29 OCT 2020 Interview

Andrea Leadsom

Andrea Leadsom reflects on working to deliver Brexit in different departments, reforms to the House of Commons and learning about energy on the job.

06 APR 2020 Interview

Sam Gyimah

Sam Gyimah reflects on working across two departments, dealing with prison riots and government’s relationship with universities.