Rt Hon Eric Pickles MP

You say politics is more luck than judgment — do you think so?

I think so. I mean, clearly you've got to have a gift for it, you've got to have a determination, you've got to have a burning for it. But anybody who writes happily on the back of an envelope, guards when they're twenties, city in their early thirties, parliament when they're forties, and prime minister when they're fifties are just kidding themselves.

Who do you sit next to round the cabinet table? How do you get on?

Well, I've recently changed positions. I'm now set next to Vince Cable and Justine Greening. We just get on like owls on fire. I occasionally top up Vince's glass of water. He occasionally proffers me the Minto bowl, and I'm very happy.

Nadine Dorries recently accused David Cameron and George Osborne of being two arrogant posh boys out of touch with the nation. Did that strike a chord with you?

And I think it is wholly inaccurate. I've had the privilege of working alongside the Prime Minister and the Chancellor for a very long time. We're clearly from very different backgrounds. But I've always felt that David's strength is that he had enormous empathy and was capable of walking in someone else's shoes.

On police commissioners we had a risible turnout — you must feel you've taken a beating. What did you get wrong?

Now I take a very strong view about politics. You know, some of the things should we make people vote? Should we make it compulsory like Australia? My view is if people don't turn out, it's our fault, and actually staying away is also a political message.

Are you a political bruiser?

I have been described as so. I've always felt that what I've done politically, and I can be, I think, quite a tough debater it's about the issue. I don't think I've ever become personal, I've never hated my opponents.

You were credited and criticised over what became known as the Bradford Revolution — cutting spending. How do you look back on that?

I had the audacity to actually have a plan, and I was rather effective about it. We were in a difficult financial place, the rate increases were just simply getting out of control, people were taking the roofs off buildings to avoid paying. And I just felt a proud place like Bradford needed to be financially viable, it needed to have a proper future. It was simply about having to deal with a financial crisis.