Tea at 22: An exclusive glimpse inside the Number 10 policy board with Margot James

I am delighted to reveal the first of our ‘Tea at 22’ films: a series of short video interviews with Westminster personalities in the Spectator’s 22 Old Queen Street offices. This week I spoke to Margot James, member of the Number 10 policy board and one of the stars of the gay marriage debate, about how the party is developing its manifesto.

Here are some key points:

• James denied Westminster rumours (revealed in the Spectator’s politics column) that the policy board members weren’t getting along, and explained how the board develops manifesto and government policy.
• She revealed that she is currently working on ideas to improve ailing town centres.
• The Tory MP – who briefly quit the party over the way Margaret Thatcher was treated – described the modernisation project as being still a ‘job half done’.