Speechwriting De-Mystified: Stories from 10 Downing Street

We had the great pleasure of meeting speechwriter Jessica Cunniffe at the European Speechwriter Network conference in Oxford.

Jessica is best known for her work as a speechwriter for David Cameron, and just before this podcast recording, she had led a full-day workshop drawing from her own experience.

The workshop was titled From Downing Street to the C-suite: De-mystifying the magic of memorable speeches, and since this podcast explores many of the same themes, you're in for a compact overview of the workshop’s highlights. It’s a great introduction to the craft of high-level speechwriting.

Jessica shares what it was like to write speeches at 10 Downing Street during Cameron’s time as Prime Minister. How did the collaboration between the PM and his speechwriters work? Where did the planning of a speech begin? How were ethos and pathos brought to life in Cameron’s speeches – and how was that special magic created?

The language of the Summer School of Rhetoric podcast is usually Finnish, but this episode is entirely in English, including the introduction, to cater to an international audience.

The Summer School of Rhetoric is a professional event on persuasive communication, held annually in Finland. Past speakers include speechwriters from the White House, Downing Street, Berlin, and NATO headquarters. The next Summer School of Rhetoric will take place on June 5-6, 2025.

Here is the event's website: https://www.retoriikankesakoulu.fi/2025/