SpAdcast: What is it really like to be a special adviser? – Ep.4: Moving On

Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government

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 this final episode, we look at how SpAd careers end. We start with reshuffles – what’s it like to go through a reshuffle as a SpAd, and how do you find out when one’s about to begin? We also discuss what it’s like to lose one of these jobs and how little notice you really get.

Finally, we finish the episode and the series by asking our interviewees to reflect on their time in government. What would they do differently if they had their time again? What are they most proud of? And what advice would they give to future SpAds?

Presented by Jack Worlidge. Produced by Candice McKenzie.

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