Becoming a minister: Part 1 – The first day 

On this first episode in our six-part series, we look at ministers’ first days in the job. No minister forgets the phone call from No.10, when they are offered their first job in government. After they hang up, the job starts immediately – and quickly takes over everything else in their lives.  

We’ve spoken to four former ministers about that first conversation and those first steps into the department. We hear what the prime minister asked them, how they reacted and what they said to their civil servants on day one. And we find out what MPs are really doing while reshuffles are going on – including which former minister had to take a call from Downing Street in a public toilet...

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