Esther McVey

To think that we are all the same and going to follow the same journey, that is wrong. We are going to support and liberate people, to give people as many opportunities to succeed as possible without being prescriptive.

We all have dreams, whether it be about success in our careers, improving our relationship with family and friends, or sorting out our finances.

I have had long relationships but have never married.

It makes my life easier that I don't have to take my daughter or son to school, that I've not got to look after them because they are ill. But then, I'm not nurtured and cherished, so I will seek external love from other close relationships.

I believe most people in their life will fall upon tough times at some point.

Life is not a theoretical problem to be solved in class.

That is what we should be doing: liberating everyone's potential, whether it's a self-made individual, whether it's someone taking the university route, whether it's the apprenticeship route. They are all equal and good and worthwhile.

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've met people at the top of companies like Accenture who started off in McDonald's.

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

For too long, people have had to neutralise or lose their accent out of fear of prejudicial treatment or to fit in. This has then led to a lack of regional accents, which has allowed this lazy stereotyping and prejudicial attitudes to prevail.

I was raised in inner-city Liverpool, the first in my family to go to university.