Opening up Westminster’s closed shop

I was immensely proud to co-host an event at the House of Commons with Robert Halfon, the Conservative MP for Harlow, to promote apprenticeships in parliament. The workaholic Mr Halfon came up with the idea of launching a Parliamentary Academy last year after taking on an apprentice in his own office. To me it seems the ideal way to get MPs to put their money where their collective mouth is, which is why my charity New Deal of the Mind has  started a pilot scheme with four apprentices in and around Westminster in partnership with the National Skills Academy for the creative and cultural sector and North Hertfordshire College. To show that it is possible even for small organisations, we have also taken on an apprentice in our own office.

Despite all the rhetoric across the political spectrum about social mobility, increasing access to the professions and opening up parliament, Westminister remains a closed shop to all but the most privileged.