The life of a Special Adviser

As the coalition teams settle into their ministerial offices, former Labour ministers have to grow accustomed to life on the opposition benches. But at least they've got jobs.

Spare a thought for their Special Advisers - or SPADS - who unlike apolitical civil servants, have to lose theirs when their party is removed from office. One such is Mark Davies - special adviser to Jack Straw for the past 5 years, a role which he says consumed his every waking moment.

Over the past fortnight he's had to get used to what he calls "life AJ -after Jack" - the phone not ringing and no longer being a Westminster insider. He came into the studio earlier to give us a flavour of what life is really like for the Special Adviser: