Fantastic. Well, welcome.

Thank you very much. Thank you.

I'm delighted to be joined by Michael Gove here today for our first session,

for a new conversation. We're very much looking forward to hearing about

your reflections on your experience in government and your thoughts about what may be to come.

Sure.

Michael needs very little introduction, but just to say, of course, he's recently appointed

as editor and spectator.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

But the IFG is really interested in you because you spent so long as a Secretary of State

in the context of this conference working on many of the really interesting public service issues

that we're going to be talking about today. So including, of course, Secretary of State for Education,

justice and actually leveling up. Michael was one of the longest serving ministers in the last

government, one with perhaps the most ambitious plans for public service reform, and arguably one of the longest serving ministers in the last government, one with perhaps the most

ambitious plans for public service reform, and arguably one of the most successful at making

those happen. So, as I say, that's why we're so interested in talking to you today. And

I want to reflect, as to say, a little bit on your time in office, explore any lessons you

may have for the new Labour government and hear any advice you have for your former colleagues now they're in opposition.

So I'm going to start with some questions of my own and then I'll come to the audience and we also have Slydo in operation so we can take questions from online.

I'll start if I may with the budget.

I'm interested to hear what you made of the public service funding decisions which Rachel Reeves set out.

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