Whips Intern

Job Title: Intern, Whips Office (Commons).

Responsible to: Head of Whips' Office (Commons).

Salary: London Living Wage (£27,007.50)

Tenure: Fixed till 31st August 2026

Hours: Full-time, 40 hours per week.

Location: House of Commons, based on the days that Parliament is sitting. Opportunity for flexible working when Parliament isn’t sitting, including most Fridays and recesses, the latter of which closely follow school and public holidays.

Closing date: Monday 24th November 2025      

Purpose of the job

This is an opportunity to gain insight into the heart of British Politics from the vantage point of the Third-Party Whips' Office in the House of Commons. 

We are seeking a diligent, conscientious and discreet intern to support the administration of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party. Working closely with MPs and senior staff, they will provide support to the Whips' Office, including its policy support function, and the Best Practice Unit, ensuring they can both be proactive in support of their parliamentary objectives. 

The role will report jointly to the Deputy Head of the Whips' Office and the Head of Best Practice. The position will require a high level of organisation, confident communication, attention to detail in routine tasks, and the ability to cope with a widely varying workload.

Key Responsibilities

1. Drafting internal communications, including weekly notices to the Parliamentary Party, with oversight from senior colleagues;
    
2. Maintain the tracking system for the parliamentary activity of Lib Dem MPs, including assisting the Head of the Whips Office and Chief Whip with the organisation and oversight of parliamentary slipping and pairing;
    
3. Work with the Head of Best Practice in their work to devise and deliver an effective programme for MPs’ staff training; 
    
4. Help oversee maintenance of the Whips' Office databases; and
    
5. Provide other duties as required by the Head of the Whips' Office and/or the Chief Whip.
    

PERSON SPECIFICATION

This is an important role at the heart of the Liberal Democrats’ parliamentary operation.

The successful candidate will demonstrate sound communication, administration, and research skills. The ability to work accurately under pressure, retain a sense of humour and deal sensitively and confidentially with a range of individuals and operations is essential. 

The candidate does not need to have existing knowledge of Parliamentary procedure, which they will acquire through their work and training. However, they will demonstrate a demonstrable interest in British politics and share the values of the Liberal Democrats.

Essential Skills and Experience

The ideal candidate will be able to show knowledge or previous relevant experience that demonstrates:

1. Organisational experience, with the ability to prioritise workloads;
    
2. A strong interest in British politics
    
3. Experience of working with spreadsheets and databases and a general high level of IT literacy;
    
4. Capacity to work to deadlines under pressure;
    
5. Strong written and oral communication skills; 
    
6. A strong commitment to, and understanding of, the aims and values of the Lib Dems; and
    
7. A willingness to work flexibly and be responsive to the extensive demands of a Whips Office.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

If you have any questions about the role, please get in touch with Coulsonj@parliament.uk. To apply, please send the following to recruitment@libdems.org.uk: 

1. A copy of your CV, including complete work history;
2. A covering letter, no more than 1 page of A4 in length, indicating clearly how your experience and skills meet the criteria stated in the job, key responsibilities, and person specification (please put your name at the top of the letter); and
3. A completed diversity monitoring form (linked).
    

Please note: 

We will not be able to employ you if you are not eligible to work in the UK;

Applicants are encouraged to inform us if any reasonable adjustments are needed during any part of the recruitment process.

Please give us two referees, including one from your current employer - if you would prefer us not to contact them until a later stage of the process, please let us know;

We will notify all applicants when the process is complete.

The Liberal Democrats are equal opportunity employers and particularly welcome applications from groups who are currently under-represented in our staff.

The Liberal Democrats are committed to supporting the mental health and well-being of all our staff. That’s why we’ve taken the Time to Change Employer Pledge. We encourage applications from individuals with experience in mental health and are committed to supporting our employees in fulfilling their potential and performing at their best in the workplace.