Abstract

Richard Wilson worked in the Civil Service from 1966 to 2002. He served in a number of departments including 12 years in the Department of Energy where his responsibilities included nuclear power policy, the privatisation of Britoil, personnel and finance. He headed the Economic Secretariat in the Cabinet Office under Mrs Thatcher from 1987-90 and after two years in the Treasury was appointed Permanent Secretary of the Department of the Environment in 1992. He became Permanent Under Secretary of the Home Office in 1994 and Secretary of the Cabinet and Head of the Home Civil Service in January 1998.

Lord Wilson has agreed to talk about everything from nuclear power to political power and spin, including his inside view of Tony Blair (saying that now that Tony’s gone he can be much freer) and Gordon Brown. He has promised to ask himself ‘the most difficult questions because they will be the most interesting’...