Estelle Morris has insisted she has no regrets over her decision to resign as education secretary.

Having stunned Westminster with her decision to leave the government last October, the former cabinet minister calls on MPs and the media to change the culture of politics in Britain.

In an interview with the BBC and the Guardian, she said that it was important to draw a distinction between appearing human and appearing weak.

She also warned that rows between the media and politicians was contributing to growing levels of voter apathy and cynicism.

"I think we have got ourselves in a position where the only thing that's worth reporting is something that creates conflict.

"The end result is that the way between us, politicians and media, portray the art of politics, leaves us with the most disillusioned electorate that we've had probably since people got the vote," she said.

Morris, who resigned with a frank admission that she did not feel up to the job, said her honesty meant that "people saw me and saw a human being and not a politician, and that just made me feel that normally they are totally sceptical about politicians and about politics".

Defending her decision to quit despite pleas from the prime minister for her to continue with her work, Morris said the criticism she faced meant that staying on "wasn't worth it".

She had come under fire for a string of policy problems in the department, including the A Level exam results row, criminal record checks on teachers and her intervention in the expulsion of an unruly pupil.

"Of course there are things I miss about the job, but there is not a bit of me that thinks I made the wrong decision," she said.

"The department was in danger of becoming fragile if it didn't stop. I was in danger of being politically damaged and it wasn't worth it. At the end of the day it stops you being able to do the things you went into politics to do."

She also indicated that men and women may interpret her decision to quit in different ways.

"If I had a roughly general idea, women thought I was being strong, some men I sense thought I was being weak.

"I'd like my political colleagues to have greater confidence that appearing human won't come over as weak.

"What I'd hope would come out of my resignation, to the media, is people out there want a debate of the real issues."