Sep 13, 2026 · 28 min · 10 segments
It is rare that a Minister with the right experience ends up in the right government department. Baroness Estelle Morris is a teacher by trade who made her way to serve as Secretary of State for…
Estelle MorrisGuestLauraHostYeah, so you were elected as an MP in 1992 and you have two roles at DfE, so you were Minister of State and then Secretary of State for Education.
Three roles, actually.
Oh,
Not many people do that, do they? No.
that's absolutely right.
And I think often find that MPs and their main ministers, they're in departments for areas that they haven't got experience in.
That's probably quite rare, actually, that from a teaching background you were placed there.
It is, and there were times when I know I was about to be moved to a Minister of State's job elsewhere, sideways on, and I didn't want to do it.
I know about education, and I felt that I bought the perspective of having been a teacher.
But in those early years, I was really pleased to be able... to stay seven years in education.
You're there long enough to carry the consequences of your early decisions and that's a very good thing to have to do.
I'd love to know your reflections on what you think your legacy is from that time in government and of course many people will remember the reasons why you were so honest about leaving that role.
Perhaps you could share a
how you think that's shaped where you are.
I am very, very grateful that people look back and remember that kindly and warmly and are generous in what they say about it.
Yeah, so you were elected as an MP in 1992 and you have two roles at DfE, so you were Minister of State and then Secretary of State for Education.
Three roles, actually.
Oh,
Not many people do that, do they? No.
that's absolutely right.
And I think often find that MPs and their main ministers, they're in departments for areas that they haven't got experience in.
That's probably quite rare, actually, that from a teaching background you were placed there.
It is, and there were times when I know I was about to be moved to a Minister of State's job elsewhere, sideways on, and I didn't want to do it.
I know about education, and I felt that I bought the perspective of having been a teacher.
But in those early years, I was really pleased to be able... to stay seven years in education.
You're there long enough to carry the consequences of your early decisions and that's a very good thing to have to do.
I'd love to know your reflections on what you think your legacy is from that time in government and of course many people will remember the reasons why you were so honest about leaving that role.
Perhaps you could share a
how you think that's shaped where you are.
I am very, very grateful that people look back and remember that kindly and warmly and are generous in what they say about it.
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