At the end of the day local authorities are responsible for economic growth in their area. They don't buy and sell businesses, they don't build businesses, what they do is work to attract businesses their area, through a combination of things.

If people think that local elections are won or lost on local education matters, that isn't happening.

Speaking as a parent, I don't think parents think all the time about structures. I know from conversations I've had with other mums, I'll ask: 'Is your child's school an academy or a local authority school?' - and they'll look at me blankly.

What I want to see in teacher training is more talk about character education and getting teachers to really think about it. We have been careful not to define what we mean by character but we think the best schools and the best teachers know how they build strong, resilient young people.

We have to be ambitious for our young people.

I don't want to see the City lose its pre-eminence as the best place in the world to do business.

I do understand that, having been a minister, there is difficulty putting stuff into legislation which is being negotiated. I quite understand.

I think education is probably one of those things that once you've been involved with it you're always interested.

As a lawyer I did various IPOs and I know the power of our listing rules and the respect that has around the world.

We should make it very clear to Saudi Aramco and others who want to list in London that they are very welcome but we aren't going to overly amend the rules just for one particular listing.

Brexit isn't just about leaving the E.U. It's also about rebuilding trust with the electorate.

Life isn't black or white, it's all sorts of shades of grey.

I was a Thatcherite. But to be fair, I probably have changed my outlook.

The honest truth in life is that you never appreciate what you've got until you've lost it.

We need our national broadcasters to bring people together, to reflect our common values, and to showcase these values to the world.

We make no apology for being bold and ambitious.

I'm a one-nation Conservative and that means exactly what it says on the tin.

I believe that all parts of our nation and everyone within it need to be brought together and treated as a whole, with no one left behind.

You should never hold back in giving your opinion - it's important to always stand up for what you believe in and not just agree with those around you.

At school, girls sometimes find it hard to speak up.

I have learned as I've grown up that it's too easy to worry that others are looking at you, or judging you, but most of the time they are just getting on with their own lives.

There will always be people who try to deter you or crush your confidence but don't let them knock you back. Focus on gaining the support of the people you respect.

We've been clear that schools shouldn't just tackle direct homophobic bullying, but also the use of phrases like 'that's so gay' to mean rubbish or bad, because we know the devastating impact they can have on young people's self-esteem.

Radicalisation or the risk of children being drawn into non violent extremism is a very real threat in this country.

Inevitably, the role of being a backbench Member of Parliament is completely different from being a minister bound by collective responsibility.

Democracy is a precious thing and the rights of parliament are a precious thing.

Visiting schools, I'm lucky enough to see the impact that education has in transforming young lives.

It is vital to understand what voters expect from Brexit, especially given the lack of a leave manifesto.

Democratic debate must never end.

When evaluating the suitability of a woman for a role, or using certain language in job advertisements, biases can creep in.

I like everything to be natural... believable.

I grew up with gossip mags commenting on how I looked.

In any social situation I'd much rather be on the periphery of things than at the centre. When I'm standing at the edge I'm comfortable in my own skin. When I'm standing in the middle it's all confusion.

My celebrity hair icon is Lana Del Rey, and beauty wise I like Jennifer Lawrence and I love Kerry Washington in 'Scandal' - her make-up is flawless on that show. She is one of my TV icons.

Clothes have helped me a lot, they helped fix my identity crisis.

I didn't know I was harming myself. I don't think my parents should have allowed me to use a sunbed, but they weren't aware of the dangers either.

I have very sensitive skin and every time I have a facial it makes it worse, so I tend to avoid them.

I feel that all girls like clothes and I'm more of a creative person. If it's writing the album or developing the makeup range, it's just about being creative. That for me is where I am happiest.

I think if you're happy and you're a nice person and you have a nice personality that always shines through.

It was weird. I joined this band because my life was all about singing. Then Girls Aloud became successful, and suddenly it wasn't just about being able to sing any more. It turned into a beauty contest.

In a way Girls Aloud were the first wave of modern celebrity. When we started out there were no camera phones clicking away.

I had a very narrow-minded view on what was pretty and what wasn't. I automatically thought that tanned was attractive.

I had a year of therapy and I swear to God, I went in that with a certain level of self-love, but not enough to keep me out of bad relationships, not enough to try and save people who were toxic for me, not enough to recognise when something was bad, to walk away.

Don't like lychees.

I struggled all the time to find makeup that was light enough.

Have a good sense of perspective and be able to snap yourself out of bad moods, as we often wind ourselves up about the silliest things.

I'm one of those people who likes to be the only redhead in the village.

I'm not gonna sit and pretend I'm hard as nails.

Girls Aloud had a style of music, so you come together and work as a group.

I hated London; I was so lonely.