Following the article released yesterday in The Guardian regarding MPs and unpaid interns I provided research for, I can now reveal the Labour MPs, MEPs and organisations that offer unpaid internships on W4MP.
UPDATE: The Conservative list and the Liberal Democrat list
DISCLAIMER: If you are listed here and feel the information is incorrect, please feel free to contact me at iansilvera@gmail.com
Summary
- The Fabian Society, a think tank closely linked with Labour, has posted eleven unpaid internship advertisements since the General Election
- Compass, a think tank closely linked with Labour, has posted two unpaid internship advertisements
- The Co-operative party, a political party linked closely with Labour, have posted two unpaid internship advertisements
- Chuka Umunna MP, Shadow Business Secretary, has posted four unpaid internship advertisements
- Rachel Reeves MP, Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, has posted six unpaid internship advertisements
- Keith Vaz MP, Chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee , has posted three unpaid internship advertisements
- Gloria De Piero, Shadow Minister for Crime Prevention, has posted one unpaid internship advertisement
- John Robertson MP, who chairs various All Party Parliamentary Committees, has posted two unpaid internship advertisements
- Baroness Worthington even advertised for an unpaid parliamentary assistant (Note: Members of the House of Lords don’t receive a staffing allowance)
May 2010
| Name | Duration | Role | Pay |
| Keith Vaz MP | 3 Months | Parliamentary Intern | Travel Expenses |
| Fabian Society | Just Under 4 Months, 3 Days Per Week | Events Intern | Travel & Lunch Expenses |
June 2010
| Claude Moraes MEP | Not Stated | General Intern | Travel & Lunch Expenses |
| Gordon Marsden MP | Summer | Parliamentary Intern | None |
| Co-operative Party | Not Stated | London Intern | None |
| Margaret Hodge MP | 3-4 Days Per Week | Constituency and Parliamentary Intern | Expenses Only |
| Jim Cunningham MP | 21st June- 2nd July | Parliamentary Intern | None |
| Rushanara Ali MP | 3 Months | Campaign Intern | None |
| Rachel Reeves MP | Not Stated | Parliamentary Intern | Expenses |
| Rachel Reeves MP | 3 Months | Constituency Intern | Expenses |
| Steve McCabe MP | Not Stated | Parliamentary Intern | None |
| Lyn Brown MP | 3 Months | Parliamentary Intern | None |
July 2010
| Southend Borough Labour Group | Until End Of Local Elections | Campaign Intern | Expenses |
| John Robertson MP | Not Stated | Parliamentary Intern | Lunch & Coffee. Possible Travel Expenses. |
August 2010
| Chuka Umunna MP | 4 Days Per Week, 10 am to 6pm | Constituency Intern | Expenses |
| Simon Danczuk MP | 5 Days Per Week, 10 am to 6pm | Constituency Intern | None |
| David Lammy MP | 3 Days Per Week For 3 Months | Parliamentary Casework Intern | Modest Travel & Food Expenses |
| Chuka Umunna MP | 4 Days Per Week, 10am to 6pm | Parliamentary Intern | Expenses |
September 2010
| Margaret Hodge MP | 3-4 Days Per Week | Constituency Intern | Expenses |
| Fabian Society | Not Stated | General Secretary Intern | Travel Expenses & Lunch |
| Karen Buck MP | 2 or 3 days for 3 months | Constituency Intern | Expenses |
| Claude Moraes MEP | Not Stated | London Office Intern | Expenses |
| Wimbledon Labour Party | 1-2 Days Per Week | Constituency Intern | None |
October 2010
| Heidi Alexander MP | 3 Days Per Week For 4 Months | Parliamentary And Constituency Intern | None |
| Graham Jones MP | Not Stated | Parliamentary Intern | Travel & Lunch Expenses |
| Fabian Society | Not Stated | Publications Intern | Lunch And Travel Provided |
| Simon Danczuk MP | 5 Days Per Week, 10am to 6pm | Constituency Intern | None |
November 2010
| Chuka Umunna MP | 4 Days Per Week, 10am- 6pm | Constituency Intern | Expenses |
| Paul Blomfield MP | Jan-June 2011, 1-2 Days Per Week | Community Engagement and Outreach Intern | Travel, Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages |
| Paul Blomfield MP | Jan-June 2011, 1 Day Per Week | Constituency Intern | Travel, Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages |
| Cllr Leanne Targett-Parker | Not Stated | Lambeth Intern | Zone 3 Travel Card |
| Lyn Brown MP | Not Stated | Parliamentary Intern | None |
| Leader of the Labour Group, Southend Borough Council | 1 Day Per Week | Campaign Intern | Travel & Subsistence Expenses |
| Alison McGovern MP | 1 Or 1 And Half Days Per Week | Parliamentary Intern | Expenses |
December 2010
| Hazel Blears MP | Not Stated | Parliamentary Intern | Expenses (Hazel’s office have been in contact. Although the job was advertised without pay, the intern did receive the living wage.) |
| Adrian Bailey MP | 3 Months, 1-3 Days Per Week | Parliamentary Intern | Expenses |
| Derek Twigg MP | 3-4 Days Per Week | Parliamentary Intern | Expenses |
| Rachel Reeves MP | 3 Months 3-5 Days Per Week | Constituency Intern | Lunch & Travel Expenses |
| Labour Group, Waltham Forest Council | 3 Months, 1-3 Days | Constituency Intern | Reasonable Costs Paid |
January 2011
| Rushanara Ali MP | 3 Months | Constituency Casework Intern | Expenses |
| Progress | 3 Months, 3 Days Per Week | Westminster Intern | Expenses |
| Fabian Society | Just Under 3 Months | Events Intern | Travel & Lunch Expenses |
| Fabian Society | Just Under 3 Months | Media Intern | Travel & Lunch Expenses |
| Baroness McDonagh | 3 Months | Research And Campaign Intern | Travel & Lunch Expenses |
| Fabian Society | Not Stated | Publications Intern | Travel & Lunch Expenses |
| Baroness Worthington | 2-3 Days Per Week | Parliamentary Assistant | Travel & Lunch Expenses |
| Rachel Reeves MP | 2-3 Months | Research Intern | Expenses |
| Keith Vaz MP | Not Stated | Parliamentary Intern | Travel Expenses |
| Hammersmith Labour Party | Possibly 2 Days Per Week | Campaign Intern | Travel & Food Expenses |
| Fabian Society | Not Stated | Research Intern x2 | Travel & Food Expenses |
| Fabian Society | Not Stated | General Secretary Intern | Travel & Food Expenses |
February 2011
| X2 Co-operative Party | Not Stated | London Intern | None |
| Claude Moraes MEP | Not Stated | London Intern | Expenses |
| Sian James MP | Not Stated | Parliamentary Intern | Expenses |
| Gloria De Piero MP | Not Stated | Parliamentary Intern | Lunch & Travel Expenses |
| Chuka Umunna MP | 2 Days Per Week, 10am – 6pm | Constituency Intern | Lunch & Travel Expenses |
| Lyn Brown MP | Not Stated | Parliamentary Intern | None |
| Graham Jones MP | Not Stated | Parliamentary Intern | Lunch & Travel Expenses |
| Margaret Hodge MP | 3-4 Days Per Week | Constituency Intern | Expenses |
March 2011
| X4 Toby Perkins | 6 Weeks | Campaign Organiser Intern | Travel, Lunch, Accommodation & Out of Pocket Expenses |
| X2 Medway Labour Group | 6 Weeks, 2-3 Days Per Week | Campaign Intern | Travel Costs |
| Fabian Society | Not Stated | Events Intern | Travel & Lunch Expenses |
| Fabian Society | Not Stated | General Secretary Intern | Travel & Lunch Expenses |
| Toby Perkins MP | Until 6 May 2011 | Campaign Intern | Travel, Lunch, Accommodation & Out Of Pocket Expenses |
| Paul Farrelly MP | Not Stated | Parliamentary Intern | Travel Expenses |
April 2011
| Rachel Reeves MP | 3 Months, 3-5 Days Per Week | Constituency Intern | Lunch & Travel Expenses |
| Compass | 2-3 Months, 2 Days Per Week | Office Intern | Travel, Lunch & Other Reasonable Expenses |
| Lord Janner of Braunstone QC | 3 months | Parliamentary Intern | Travel & Food Expenses |
| X2 Barry Sheerman MP | Not Stated | Charity Intern | Travel & Basic Expenses |
May 2011
| Wimbledon Labour Party | 1 Day Per Week | Campaign Intern | Lunch Provided |
| Rushanara Ali MP | 3 Months | Campaign Intern | Expenses |
| Bill Esterson MP | 1-2 Days Per Week | Constituency Intern | Expenses |
June 2011
| Fabian Society | 3 Days Per Week | General Intern | Travel & Lunch Expenses |
| Lyn Brown MP | Not Stated | Parliamentary Intern | None |
July 2011
| Compass | 2-3 Months, 2 Days A Week | Office Intern | Travel, Lunch & Other Reasonable Expenses |
August 2011
| X2 Rachel Reeves MP | 3 Months 3-5, Days Per Week | Constituency Intern | Travel & Food Expenses |
| John Robertson MP | 2 Weeks | Shadow Intern | Refreshments |
| Nia Griffith MP | Not Stated | Parliamentary Intern | Travel & Food Expenses |
| Kieth Vaz MP | Not Stated | Parliamentary Intern | Expenses In Line With IPSA |
| Margaret Hodge MP | Not Stated | Parliamentary Intern | Expenses |
September 2011
None
October 2011
| Joan Walley MP | Not Stated | Parliamentary Intern | Lunch & Travel Expenses |
| Roberta Blackman-Woods MP | Not Stated | Parliamentary Intern | None. Travel & Food Expenses |
[...] You can find the Labour list here: http://iansilvera.co.uk/2011/11/29/labour-mps-meps-and-organisations-who-offer-unpaid-internships/#m… [...]
Agree wholeheartedly with campaign to pay interns and it is something I’ve been very vocal on and introduced a proper policy when I ran a PR company. However, not sure it’s fair to include a member of the House of Lords on the list without a qualifying note to say that peers don’t actually get a staff allowance. So it’s not that they won’t pay, more a case of many can’t pay. For democracy to function effectively this is something that should be rectified.
That peer (Baroness Worthington) advertised for an unpaid intern to babysit her child while she was working. It is utterly right that she should be named and shamed for using an unpaid young person to do work for her which, without a shadow of a doubt, should have been paid at least at the rate of the legal minimum. Shje might not have the spare cash but I’m pretty damn sure that young person nees her legal entitlement even more than her!
Utterly revolting behaviour, thank you for highlighting it.
[...] Labour: http://iansilvera.co.uk/2011/11/29/labour-mps-meps-and-organisations-who-offer-unpaid-internships/#m… [...]
Well, I’ve been through this – and watched many others. It’s a nightmare and favours those who have parents living in London (or in the case of a Constituency MP office, living close by to that) or wealthy, for money to spare on rent. That said, if you can stump up the money, somehow, you are far more likely to get a job… eventually, in the area concerned. University is great, but lacks on-the-job experience.
[...] The Tory list is here and the Labour list is here. [...]
[...] Shiv Malik’s article in the Guardian, and a long list of unpaid internships I posted here, Chukka Umman and the Fabian Society have stated that they no longer employ unpaid [...]
[...] – regularly advertises for, and takes on, unpaid staff. The Queen pays her interns; Keith Vaz is just one of a number of Labour MPs who doesn’t. Employers who would, I imagine, describe themselves as people of principle, have [...]
[...] – regularly advertises for, and takes on, unpaid staff. The Queen pays her interns; Keith Vaz is just one of a number of Labour MPs who doesn’t. Employers who would, I imagine, describe themselves as people of principle, have [...]
[...] – regularly advertises for, and takes on, unpaid staff. The Queen pays her interns; Keith Vaz is just one of a number of Labour MPs who doesn’t. Employers who would, I imagine, describe themselves as people of principle, have [...]
[...] Umma, the Labour MP who offered four unpaid internships in 2011, has stated that he no longer takes on unpaid [...]
[...] – regularly advertises for, and takes on, unpaid staff. The Queen pays her interns; Keith Vaz is just one of a number of Labour MPs who doesn’t. Employers who would, I imagine, describe themselves as people of principle, [...]
[...] – regularly advertises for, and takes on, unpaid staff. The Queen pays her interns; Keith Vaz is just one of a number of Labour MPs who doesn’t. Employers who would, I imagine, describe themselves as people of principle, have [...]