The Rt Hon Michael Gove MP

Widely respected and criticised in equal measure, Michael Gove has been one of the most eye-catching politicians Westminster has seen in the last decade. His relentless drive and desire for change was recognised by the Spectator magazine when he won their annual Award for Guerrilla Politicsin 2015.

Michael Gove served in Cabinet for over a decade, across five government departments, from the 2010 Coalition government onwards. Renowned for his strategic acumen and media skills, as well as his effectiveness in policy implementation, Michael has managed some of the most complex and high-profile assignments in government.

He also led the Vote Leave campaign which defied all expectations in winning the 2016 EU membership referendum. Having witnessed firsthand, and participated in, many major domestic political events, he offers insights into managing change, crises, and the evolving nature of politics.

Born in Edinburgh but raised in Aberdeen, Michael was educated in both England and Scotland, receiving state and private schooling. He has always been passionately committed to raising standards in state schools and helping children from less privileged backgrounds to maximise their potential.

Michael left university and followed a career into journalism, working for local and national newspapers, radio and TV. He reported on issues as diverse as EU corruption in Brussels and the threat to small businesses from red tape as well as championing the victims of crime. At The Times, Michael worked closely with Frances Lawrence, widow of the murdered headmaster Philip Lawrence, to fight street crime and its causes.

He then turned his attention to politics. Michael is a former Chairman of Policy Exchange, a centre-right think-tank which has created innovative policies on policing, local government and fighting terrorism. Policy Exchange's plans to devolve more power over police priorities to local communities were widely welcomed and compared to the initiatives introduced by Rudi Giuliani which reduced crime in New York.

He was first elected to the House of Commons in the 2005 General Election as MP for Surrey Heath, before being appointed to the Shadow Cabinet by his close friend Prime Minister David Cameron in 2007 as Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families.

Following the formation of the coalition government in 2010, Michael Gove was appointed Secretary of State for Education and was appointed as Chief Whip in 2014. After the General Election in May 2015, he became Lord Chancellor, Secretary of State for Justice, until July 2016.

A fierce reformist, Michael set about implementing some of the most radical reforms to the teaching establishment in the history of the education system. He was described by James O’Shaughnessy, former advisor to David Cameron, as a member of “a small pantheon of Education Secretaries who have genuinely created change”.

Beyond party politics, Michael played a prominent role in the campaign for the UK to leave the EU. He took a prominent role in the controversial Vote Leave campaign to exit the European Union and was widely credited for masterminding the success of what was thought by many to be a highly unlikely victory.

After leaving government in July 2016, Michael helped found Change Britain and served as Vice Chair of the Select Committee on Exiting the European Union. He also returned to The Times to write a weekly column.

Following the 2017 General Election, Michael was appointed as Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. In July 2019, he was appointed as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

In his keynote presentations and after dinner speeches, Michael Gove delves into the workings of government, exploring how policy makers address intricate, interrelated issues such as the environment, housing, and social inequality.

He examines significant political trends and shifts domestically and globally, reflecting on what these mean for voters, the media, and politicians. Drawing from his extensive and diverse experience in government, Michael discusses different strategies for implementing rapid change compared to building and managing trust and consensus

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