Commons People
What Happens Behind Closed Doors: Interview With A Top Government Special Adviser
Welcome back to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. In this week's episode, Kevin sits down with Liz Bates, a former political journalist turned special adviser for Keir Starmer's Government. Liz lifts the lid on what a SPAD does, the "funereal" reality of Keir Starmer's resignation to those on the inside and the difference between reporting the news and influencing the story. Timecodes 00:00 – Introduction. 05:07 – What is a special adviser and what do they do? 07:59 – What was it like working for Steve Reed, the former Housing Secretary and Environment Secretary? 13:10 – Behind the scenes of Keir Starmer's resignation in July. 18:30 – Why does a SPAD also lose their job when the minister they're serving does? 20:32 – What's next for Liz and what does she think about the future of Andy Burnham's Government. 23:35 – Bluffers Guide and end. You can follow us at @commons.people on Instagram and TikTok. This is a HuffPost UK podcast. Music provided by Epidemic Sounds. Producer: Sam Cleal Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
