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how to become a government minister?

What route do people normally take for becoming a government minister? (my particular interest is in the Home Office and Ministry of Justice)

Also, are there any books which are good for giving this kind of information or an introduction to the government system?

Thanks

Reply 1

ThePants999

Err... well, you start off by getting elected as an MP! The Prime Minister selects the Cabinet, so there isn't a route to a specific ministry.

Reply 2

spiritofsussex

First, you need to be elected as an MP. Then, if your party has a majority then you need to try and get an existing minister to have you as their PPS (Parliamentary Private Secretary). Being a PPS brings you some attention, and eventually if you are lucky, the PM might make you a Parliamentary Under Secretary (a minister, current examples are Maria Eagle in the Ministry of Justice and Vernon Coaker in the Home Office). After that, the PM could decide to promote you and give you slightly more responsibilities as a Minister of State (a higher ministerial positions, current examples are David Hanson in the Ministry of Justice and Liam Byrne in the Home Office), and then possibly a Secretary of State (i.e. Jack Straw in the Ministry of Justice and Jacqui Smith in the Home Office).

Hope this rather large segment of information helps! Politics is one of my possible career choices.

Reply 3

Prince Rhyus

Several routes, but it can be:

1) Join political party
2) Join uni section of said party
3) Volunteer and do stuff in constituency
4) Take up a research post with an MP using connections from 1, 2 and 3.
5) Stand for election to a local council
6) If good at 5, get selected to be prospective parliamentary candidate
7) If popular, get elected to be MP
8) If "pro-leadership", get appointed.

Or

1) Join political party
2) Join uni section of said party
3) Join trade union
4) Become branch officer
5) Become full-time officer
6) Get elected to NEC of union
7) Selected as PPC for a constituency
8) If popular, get elected to be MP
9) If "pro-leadership", get appointed.
Or

1) Join political party
2) Join uni section of said party
3) Join civil service (which has restrictions on political activities but you can be a member of a party.)
4) Transfer into Ministerial private office
5) Make contacts
6) Leave civil service to become full-time party worker
7) Selected as PPC for a constituency
8) If popular, get elected to be MP
9) If "pro-leadership", get appointed.
Or

1) Make lots of money in business
2) Join political party
3) Get selected as PPC for a constituency
4) If popular, get elected to be MP
5) If "pro-leadership", get appointed.

Or

1) Be born into wealthy family with lots of political links
2) Go to a well-known state or private school
3) Go to top university
4) Become researcher for party
5) Selected as PPC for a constituency
6) If popular, get elected to be MP
7) If "pro-leadership", get appointed.

Or

1) Make lots of money in business or make it big in another field
2) Join political party
3) Get awarded a peerage in return for being appointed a Minister

...and others

(edited due to IainC's eagle eye on a rushed post!)

Reply 4

IainC

just a point on the last option if you had a peerage you would sit in the lords and could be a minister from there.

BUT you would not need to become an MP, in fact you could not stand as an MP whilst you were a Peer.

Reply 5

Sick of idiots

I’m just a member of the public but I feel I could do a better job than the minister we have at the moment all you need is basic common sense which � of them don’t have.