Max Rawlins, recently completed an internship with Gillian (24th Jan - 1st April) whilst continuing his studies at the University of Sussex. Max shared his time between working in Westminster, Chichester, and from home. Here's what Max had to say:
At the start of this year, I began an internship working for Gillian in her parliamentary office. From the outset, it gave me a unique insight into UK governance and politics, as well as an invaluable opportunity to apply my knowledge which I attained at university.
The team were really friendly and welcoming from the moment I arrived, trusting me with a high degree of responsibility and making me feel that my contributions were valued. They gave me a wide range of tasks including, drafting correspondence to Cabinet Ministers and responses to Gillian’s constituents. I regularly joined Gillian on her visits to the constituency where we met with businesses, and she held advice surgeries. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the heart of British politics and the opportunity to play a direct role in supporting her in her duties as the Member of Parliament for Chichester.
During my time in Westminster, I was lucky enough to attend Prime Minister’s Question’s on several occasions and watched the Chancellor announce the Spring Statement from the chamber galleries -this was a memorable experience and enabled me to observe the day-to-day functioning of government, first-hand, in a way that no other internship could.
I would highly recommend the opportunity to anybody who has an interest in politics or is simply curious to explore the workings of parliament up close; I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the role and am so grateful to Gillian for giving me the opportunity.
Max Rawlins, Postgraduate student of Geopolitics and International Relations at the University of Sussex (UG: Politics, Philosophy and Economics)
