Former Cabinet minister in the Labour Government and member of the Privy Council and the House of Lords, is now using his skills and expertise commercially and as a non-executive board member. As a national politician he has skills in decision making, communication, media handling and strategic policy, and has unrivalled expertise in the inter-relationship between education, skills and employment policy given his ministerial experience. He also has a current understanding of the potential use of digital technology in the delivery of public services.