Esther McVey

“I ran my first campaign when I was 11. My slogan was 'Vote McVey, vote the right way.' I've never surpassed it!”

“When I became minister for employment, that was my ideal job because it meant I was able to reflect on what I saw growing up and actually try to change it.”

“Our young people are some of the best and most talented in the world - they are driven, entrepreneurial, and innovative - and with the help of people who have already made it in the world of work, they can go on to be the bosses and employers of the future.”

“I always thought, as I was growing up, that I'd be married with children. That hasn't happened.”

“I want to give the message that anyone can succeed given the opportunity.”

“I come from a background where people have had their own business, where it has been incredibly tough for a long period of time, and you are only as good as the last contract you have got, as the last job you have done, where the notion of a precarious existence does exist, as it does for a lot of people.”

“Success isn't anything to do with being lucky. It's knowing what you want, taking the necessary action, and believing you can achieve anything you set your mind to.”

“I'm forever being told, and intrinsically understand, that people want to study at different times in their lives, often inspired to do so when they see the practical benefits of their studies.”

“Most people fall upon tough times at some point.”

“People who have been successful in business have a huge amount to offer young people who are just starting out.”

“The people I believed in were people like William Lever, the great philanthropic industrialist - self-made men who realised anyone could achieve.”

“We have seen a shift in the focus of education before entering the workplace, with earning and learning the new norm.”

“Universal Credit claimants who refuse to accept a zero hours contract job offer, without good reason, can be subject to a sanction.”

“Life teaches you it's not where you come from, it's where you get to, and work is exactly the same.”

“Part of the Brexit debate was about control, having a say over our laws and money and letting politicians stand up for what the people voted for, not signing away our sovereignty.”

“This is how I am. I'm happy with my friends, my family, my job.”

“You can't underestimate how patriotic the people of this country are.”

“What does a teacher do in a school? A teacher would tell you off or give you lines or whatever it is, detentions, but at the same times, they are wanting your best interests at heart. They are teaching you, they are educating you, but at the same time, they will also have the ability to sanction you.”

“Lifelong learning is becoming commonplace, with people studying at different times when they see the benefits of doing so.”

“Where I come from, from a very different point of view, it's a Labour heartland, it's a trade union heartland, and I'll have a very personal campaign against me there.”