What was your highlight of 2024?
My highlight is the work my team did to prepare for and manage the transition to a new government.
In our system, changes of government don’t happen very often! In quite a long career, I have only experienced them on two occasions – in 1997 and 2010. While experiences like that can help you understand some of what is required, there are always surprises and some things you can’t prepare for. Psychologically, you need to be ready to abandon quite a lot of the work you were doing before, which is not always easy. Policies, personalities, priorities and language can all change at the drop of a hat, but I feel my team managed the changes and also the inevitable uncertainties very well.
My team leads on equality policy across government and specifically on disability, gender equality, race, social mobility and LGBT+ issues, Formerly trading as the Equality Hub in the Cabinet Office, we have now been re-established under the new government as the Office for Equality and Opportunity – and with seven new ministers! We are still in the Cabinet Office, but with a very long to-do list, including a focus on the new government’s equality legislation and on supporting the government’s equality priorities through its long-term missions.
What was the hardest part of being a leader in 2024?
The main things I can think of are constant challenges rather than issues that were specific to 2024. I would mention particularly: finding ways to do a lot with limited resources; motivating colleagues when the pressure is on or when things are tough; and finding time to step back from the day to day and asking “what are we really trying to do and are we actually doing it”?
What are the main challenges facing the OEO in the coming year – and how are you planning to meet them?
Our immediate challenges are to do with the new government’s legislative programme. We had three Bills in the King’s Speech, but also have quite a long list of manifesto commitments to deliver.
More widely, we are seeking to ensure that the government’s missions reflect its priorities on equality. We are working with teams across government on that and have expertise to offer on issues like accessible communications and equality data and analysis. But of course our capacity is limited, so we cannot always offer as much help as people might like.
"It’s a racing certainty that some issues on which we will need to focus over the next year will be things we had not predicted"
On a final point, equality issues are seldom out of the public eye and receive vast amounts of media attention. So it’s a racing certainty that some issues on which we will need to focus over the next year will be things we had not predicted!
What was the best Christmas present you’ve ever given or received? And the worst?
My children have always been keen on Playmobil advent calendars (if you know, you know) and continue to be so even though they are now pushing adulthood. So at the risk of courting disappointment, I am going to nominate an early Christmas present I got this year and which I have yet to open (as I write) – which describes itself as a luxury stationery advent calendar!
Nominating a “worst” present seems to me contrary to the Christmas spirit and I am not going to do so.