I've worked in politics for a decade AMA

[EK27]

First in Westminster as a Parliamentary staffer, then for a political party, now in a political lobbying type role where I work with MPs from all parties (including travelling with them, so have got to know some well). AMA.

You are right. I am interested in your work too. I will resist the urge to bite.

From an inside, getting stuff done perspective, who do you think has been a successful UK politician? What were their skills and characteristics?

As is probably obvious from the thread, I'd describe myself as a centre-left / European social democrat. But I've worked with politicians across parties on causes I believe in too. That's definitely been a political education too.

I think my values have stayed the same, but I recognise the world has changed hugely (and not for the better unfortunately) since my student days. I think I've also gotten a lot more context and nuance on the details of policy-making and economics since then, so I guess things don't always seem as simple as when I was 21 and thought I knew everything already.

Oh, I don't mean I want you to be explicit about your own political allegiances on the thread, @EK27 -- much better that you don't. I was only interested in hearing about how you negotiate between your own political position as an individual, and the requirements of your professional role.

Really enjoying this thread. What advice would you have for a young person who wants to get into politics, who is state schooled and lives far from London? How would they go about creating a network from scratch, and what does "getting into politics" look like nowadays?

I think more people agree with you that you suspect, but they're not always the loudest voices.

I did work experience with an MP for a while it was really fascinating. I wanted to ask about the security elements. When I was in Portcullis House it was recommended that we took off our parliamentary passes when not on the estate - but this was before Jo Cox, before Stephen Timms and before David Amess. All abhorrent actions, but how does it make you feel about your own security? I know that you now have bag checks, sniffer dogs etc. (or they did when I went to support a colleague giving evidence to the Health Select Committee in 2010), but politicians are increasing targets for serious crime, does this impact on you?

Interesting. I think it’s part of Labour’s problem that they think these things about Starmer but don’t get why he’d be disliked.

Did you work for Labour when you worked for a party?

Are you left wing because this ama sound very pro labour

Three queries!

Is Michael Gove as nice as everyone says he is (he always pops up on the “loveliest celebs you’ve met” threads).

Are there any unlikely friendships that strike you as quite funny (a Plaid Cymru MP regularly having lunch with a right-leaning unionist MP for example, because they disagree but really get on otherwise).

There are lots of intelligent, highly-qualified MPs. Who do you reckon is the cleverest MP? Raw intellect, I mean, rather than political skills.

Good thread, thank you OP.

Don’t tell him Pike! Send a DM but don’t say it here I don’t want to know which party you worked for, it’s much more interesting with some sense of neutrality

edit. Dammit. I suppose it was pretty obvious tho 😆

Volunteer in election campaigns (local / national / Mayoral / anything) with the political party they support and get to know MPs, staffers and other activists. Ask their local MP if they can do some work experience in their office, even if just for a week or two (many MPs are happy to do this, but obviously it's difficult if they're local MP is from a different party). Roles in student politics can help but not essential.

Then if they're looking for a job, w4mp is the best place to look - caseworker or Parliamentary assistant roles for backbench MPs are probably the best way to start. Also depending on your area, possibly roles with local governments, Mayor's offices etc. On councils, political party groups tend to have a couple of admin / policy assistants too working to support the councillors, that can be a good way to get your foot in the door. There are lots of political jobs outside London, most MPs also have constituency offices in their constituencies, for example. I can only speak to Labour, but a lot of people get started with local campaigning roles - hard work and long hours, but again a foot in the door. Jobs will be advertised on the party's website.

I haven't met Michael Gove and couldn't be specific about cross-party friendships exactly, although I get the sense there are plenty. One thing I've come to think since working in politics is highly political people often have more in common with each other than with the rest of the population in many ways! And they're sharing the same workplace, often working together on things behind the scenes, in select committees etc., and it would be strange not to have any kind of friendly relationship at all just because your views differed.

In terms of raw intellect, hard to say - I think very high academic intelligence is probably a barrier to success in politics in many ways. I think it can hamper a more intuitive way of thinking and communicating that is also very beneficial. I mean, Kwasi Kwarteng had a PhD...

I don't work in Westminster anymore, but I was there during the 2017 terror attacks which were scary - the police and security are very tight, but we still had to stay in our offices for hours (behind bulletproof glass!) while police dealt with the intruder. In terms of MPs' security, yes it is very worrying and I think they take their lives into their hands in some ways when engaging with the public, as they don't have any personal security and are often out and about in the communities where they live. Was speaking to an MP recently who was in court recently to testify against a man who had been issuing him repeated death threats and is now in prison. Clearly terrifying.

Is Mr Fabricant's hair real or a wig?

I think it's really attached to his head, but hard to say beyond that!

What you think the appeal of Reform and Farage is?

Asking because I just can’t fathom it other than it being a vote for “change” based on soundbites without substance.

Same as most populists I guess - simple answers to difficult problems that align with people's pre-existing priors, highly emotive communication styles / outright lies, and a context of political and economic decay they want to exploit, rather than fix.

This also applies to Labour surely. ‘Smash the gangs’

‘Fully funded’ ‘no tax rises’ toolmaker stuff

I don't know, I think lots of politicians manage to achieve things - some set themselves bigger goals than others, I suppose! You could look at someone like Stella Creasy who has won campaigning victories on pay day loans as a backbencher, although obviously that's much smaller scale than Prime Ministers. There are lots of ways to get things done in Parliament, and much of it is behind the scenes. I suppose I'd have to say Tony Blair was the most successful politician I can think of, in that he won three terms and achieved a lot of what he set out to. Being a politician is such a skill - one that not many people (myself included!) have!

I think this is veering in to the kind of political debate probably best dealt with on a different thread, but I just don't think you can call Starmer a populist in the same way as Farage.

This is interesting.

A comment more than a question. When Rory Stewart was an MP and in the race to be PM I really didn't warm to him. Now I listen to him and Alistair Campbell on The Rest is Politics and I really admire his intellect, his world experiences and the insight this brings to current affairs. I wish he was still an MP or had become PM.

What's your view on the main political journalists? Chris Mason always comes across as very down to earth.

I actually don't have time for most political journalists. I'm so frustrated by how they so often cover politics as a kind of soap opera rather than focusing on the policies the government is actually enacting (and the policies opposition parties propose). Look at the changes to renters' rights from today - will make a huge difference to tenants (and landlords) and it's getting very little coverage.

I think Chris Mason is an example of this as well, to be honest. I don't like 'gotcha' interviews or the assumption that politicians need to be constantly 'caught out'. It's fuelling democratic disillusionment and I worry about how much worse it could get.

I do listen to TRIP sometimes - Rory and Alistair bring a lot of insight and expertise to political discussions. It's so valuable to hear from people who've actually worked in government. Rory is a great writer too - think Politics on the Edge is the one of the best political books I've read.

What do you think is going to happen with benefits, particularly for the disabled. All the talk etc has caused a great deal of fear of the future

Don't know, sorry