From 2001 Michael Barber was Chief Adviser on Delivery to the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. As Head of the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit he was responsible for the oversight of implementation of the Prime Minister’s priority programmes in health, education, transport, policing, the criminal justice system and asylum/immigration.

Before this, Michael Barber was Chief Adviser to the Secretary of State for Education on School Standards, and prior to joining government he was a Professor at the Institute of Education, University of London.

His publications include THE LEARNING GAME: ARGUMENTS FOR AN EDUCATION REVOLUTION (Indigo 1997), and HOW TO DO THE IMPOSSIBLE: A GUIDE FOR POLITICIANS WITH A PASSION FOR EDUCATION (Institute of Education, London 1997).

His advice on public policy, especially education has been sought by governments in a number of countries including Australia, the USA, Russia, Estonia and Hong Kong and by major international organisations including the OECD, The World Bank and the IMF.

Michael Barber is currently the expert partner in the Global Public Sector Practice of an international management consultancy firm.

In Tony Blair's first term, 1997-2001, much was promised in reform of social services, but relatively little was achieved - except perhaps in Education, where Michael Barber was head of the Standards and Effectiveness Unit.

For 2001-5, the commitment was to real change in domestic policy, and Sir Michael Barber was appointed head of the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit (PMDU), to concentrate on specific targets, such as casualty waiting time, school tests, league tables, street crime, transport etc.

Much was achieved, despite great tension, pressures, chaos and challenges, as a new working philosophy was created to combine otherwise 'warring parties' - the PM, the Chancellor, the Cabinet, the PM'S special team, and senior civil servants.

Michael Barber reveals a fascinating insider and personal account of how the PMDU achieved so much, and provides a revealing picture of the major players, especially Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.