Baroness Young of Old Scone has held many posts including Vice Chairman of the BBC, Chief Executive of the Environment Agency and Care Quality Commission, Chair of English Nature and is currently Chair of the Woodland Trust.

As a Scottish Labour member of the House of Lords for over 25 years she discusses being at the heart of politics and the ways in which the detailed work on legislation brings change. She also shares a fascinating insight into the routines and organisation of the House of Lords and discusses the different pathways that women can take to move into a career in politics.

TOPICS DISCUSSED

• Childhood and early ambitions
• Growing up in a small-scale rural community in Scotland
• Working in the health service and moving into health politics
• Being active in the Institute for health service management and becoming president
• Moving into work for the environment and the transference of skills
• Twenty-five years in the heart of politics
• Working on detailed legislation and the changes it brings
• The House of Lords being a window into politics as a whole
• The changes to legislation that have meant the most  
• Specialising in areas that you are an expert in and have knowledge about
• The routines of the House of Lords
• Being part of select committees and the in-depth work that is undertaken
• How a self-regulating house works and the Theatre of the House
• Being a woman in the House of Lords and the strong women who are part of the cohort
• The differences between the House of Lords and the House of Commons
• Having varied and mixed representation in the House
• The friendships and social events of the House of Lords
• Appreciating others as different individuals
• There are many groups that span all parties and come together because of the area of interest
• The balance of tradition and keeping up-to-date and modern
• The challenges of working in an old building
• Ways for women to get into politics and the qualities they need from persistence to having a meticulous approach
• Environmental climate change and the changes that can make a difference
• The importance of smarter land use moving forward
• Finding your purpose in life and taking the opportunities in life

BEST BITS

‘Nobody was clear about what you could do with a classics degree at that time it was supposed to be good for helping you to think, so I could have done anything’

‘I transferred what I knew about advocacy, lobbying, campaigning and policy analysis and the rest as they say is history’

‘It’s a bit like war 95% hanging about and 5% exhilaration

‘My environmental and political work all fitted together really well’

‘You can direct findings and be the voice of common sense’

‘There is nothing that gets your blood going more than a really good amendment that has public support and harnessed round the house support’

‘The people you met were stunning and formidable’

‘The House of Lords is much more forensic and civilised but it’s tough we don’t pull any punches

‘The combination of relying on secondary legislation and it not being very effective  is not good and something that needs to be fixed’

‘A lot of people in the Commons don’t value the Lords’

‘There are a lot of people who don’t understand what we do and when there are new leaders you have to train them up in understanding how to use us effectively’

‘We are part of the glue that holds the whole thing together’

ABOUT THE PODCAST

Woman Self Made podcast brings you interviews with hugely successful women from all walks of life – world-renowned business leaders, disruptive entrepreneurs, world-class athletes, self-made multi-millionaires, entertainment and TV personalities. In these conversations, we dive into their unique stories with the aim to deconstruct their secrets for success. We talk about their journeys, ups and down, while distilling along the way the habits, tools, tactics and tips, which you can learn and use.

So, grab your favourite drink and join us every Thursday for open conversations with the most inspiring women talking about building successful businesses, careers and living the lives of their dreams.

ABOUT THE HOST

Marina Bennett had a high-flying international career in strategy and finance, and in 2019 she decided to leave her £300k/year City job to take the entrepreneurial plunge from scratch. She is now a multiple business owner on the way to her first 7 figures. Marina is also a founder of Woman. Self-made. (@womanselfmade.inc) - an online community of confident, ambitious women who want to achieve success and live the lives of their dreams