Last week a meeting took place in Westminster between MPs, staff and their representatives about the centralisation of MPs expenses, and believe it or not, the status of Interns did get a look in.
7th Question from the floor: “What about interns? The situation is not satisfactory will they look at their pay and expenses?”
Chris Bryant MP: Personally I feel very uncertain about the situation with interns.
It is not good to employ people for free
It is not right that people with contacts or wealth get on in professional life because they have those two things.
I will not criticise colleagues who have interns and I know people are prepared to volunteer because they are so passionate about it. It is not our intention that the independent Committee on Standards and Public Life will look at that although the work being done by Alan Milburn on access to the professions may address it. I think interns should be a separate issue and I would support a formal system of internships like they have in the EU.
Good for him! Thank you Mr Bryant!