Tracy Craig

Caseworker, Gregory Campbell MP

Acting as a champion for those in the greatest need is of the utmost importance to Tracy. She has worked as a caseworker for Gregory Campbell MP for over ten years, helping thousands of constituents in East Londonberry on a variety of issues.

During the Covid19 pandemic, Tracy was critical in maintaining the office’s heavy case workload, all whilst caring for her mother who suffers from acute health problems, illustrating the clear dedication she has for her job. She also placed those working in the health care sector at the top of her priorities, to provide workers with any additional support during the pandemic.

Tracy’s caring nature means that she goes above and beyond for constituents, often taking calls and emails outside of working hours to ensure she resolves their concerns and gets the desired outcomes on her casework.

Niamh McCourt

Senior Parliamentary Researcher, Dr Stephen Farry MP

Niamh has played an integral role in helping 27 vulnerable Afghans, who were either under the threat of death or forced marriages following the fall of Kabul, reach safety in the UK and Ireland and build new lives.

Recently, Niamh worked tirelessly to coordinate the complex and dangerous escape of Bilal Nasiri’s family, an interpreter of Naval Officer Tim McCullagh, a constituent of North Down. Bilal’s family were under direct threat from the Taliban due to his job however, Niamh worked closely with the Irish Government to acquire necessary documentation and then with people on the ground in Afghanistan to organise all the logistics for their safe passage to Ireland.

On behalf of Stephan’s office, Niamh continues to liaise with vulnerable Afghans and help signpost them to assistance. She also keeps in contact with Bilal’s family to provide support and ensure they are integrating comfortably into the community.

Drusilla Summers

Parliamentary Business & Communications Officer, Democratic Unionist Party

Drusilla puts the DUP at the forefront of everything she does, proving why she is such an asset to the smooth-running of the party.

Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic she worked around the clock to ensure that the 8 MPs and 5 Peers she represents could fulfil their public service roles to the best of their ability. She has also worked tirelessly on rotas to guarantee that MPs are always in the right place at the right time for business and political meetings, whether virtual or in person.

Her work involves liaising between the DUP, the government and opposition parties and thus requires a lot of organisation. Drusilla is focused and committed to making sure that the people of Northern Ireland have an efficient team working for them.

Lauren Kinsey

Communications Manager, Anna McMorrin MP

Always working with a positive attitude, compassion and a smile, Lauren has helped countless constituents in Cardiff North, making each one feel as though their voice matters.

Using her background and training as a Dementia Friend, Lauren has rolled out dementia awareness sessions for local businesses in the constituency, meaning cafes and shops now understand how to support those living with dementia. Lauren has also taken the lead on several environmental campaigns against plastic, which has mobilised people, particularly children and their parents in Cardiff North to adopt behavioral changes in the fight against single use plastics. During the summer, Lauren’s work also extended to supporting families leaving Afghanistan.

Regardless of the challenge, Lauren always has a solution to constituents’ needs and wider problems, explaining why she is admired by so many for her efforts in transforming the lives of those around her and for her commitment to working together to make positive change.

Emma Thatcher

Senior Caseworker, Carolyn Harris MP

Emma’s dedication to tackling food insecurity has meant that many vulnerable families across Swansea East have not had to go hungry, a problem exacerbated by the pandemic.

The consideration Emma has for her community is evidenced by the endless hours she has spent sourcing donations, delivering provisions, and personally making meals for constituents. Emma has been at the forefront of feeding-projects run by Carolyn Harris that include organising summer lunch clubs and breakfast packs for children, as well as the Everyone Deserves a Christmas campaign, which last year distributed more than 1000 hampers and over 100 hot dinners. During lockdown, Emma was also a key member of the Swansea Together team, which cooked meals and delivered provisions to isolated or struggling community members.

Always putting the needs of others before her own has meant that Emma has been able to provide struggling families with a glimmer of hope in difficult times.

Gareth Wyn Hughes

Office Manager, Chris Bryant MP

Gareth’s dedication to the people of his constituency is clearly evidenced by the work he has done to helping Rhondda’s constituents whenever he can.

Often working tirelessly throughout the week, Gareth led a project in 2020 in response to terrible flooding in Wales that raised around £1,500 for each of the 240 flood victims who lost everything due to weather conditions. His commitment to charitable causes is also evidenced by another project he ran for children during the Welsh Christmas lockdown. The ‘give a kid a present’ campaign enabled 1,000 Rhondda children to receive Christmas gifts, who might otherwise have gone without.

Gareth’s caring personality and selflessness has resulted in the improvement of the livelihoods of many people in Rhondda.

Matthew Goddin

Head of Office, Wes Streeting MP

Matthew’s commitment to his role is unparalleled. He has played a leading role in supporting Wes Streeting MP across three frontbench roles and after Wes’ recent kidney cancer diagnosis, he stepped to up become the ‘caretaker MP’, overseeing all parliamentary business in his absence.

Despite high volumes of casework throughout the pandemic, Matthew ensured that constituents continued to receive high quality advice and support in response to their concerns. He is a well-known figure in the office for being a great team leader and supportive manager, with new starters and interns appreciating the time he invests in their career development and wellbeing. Other MPs offices have also benefited from Matthew’s strong leadership skills, as he has dedicated time to support them in setting up their offices.

The positive impact Matthew has had on his team, other MPs offices and constituents highlights the passion he has for his job.

Ashley Harmon

Senior Caseworker & Office Manager, Dr Stella Creasy MP

Ashely is a passionate and hard-working member of Dr Stella Creasy MP’s team who cares deeply about other staff, their wellbeing and promoting open discussion on the emotional nature of work undertaken by parliamentary staff.

When the Taliban invaded Afghanistan, Ashley evidenced her incredible people management. The office saw some of the highest case rates in the country of residents appealing to their MP to help their families abroad and Ashley played a vital part in ensuring the safe passage of refugees. Another huge achievement of Ashely’s is her involvement in the creation of a specialist legal housing advisory service that has benefitted many vulnerable constituents in Walthamstow, where housing is a huge problem. The service has enabled people to understand their housing rights but has also helped Afghan refugees to settle in the constituency.

Ashely’s success could not be achieved without the time and effort she dedicates into addressing the root causes of problems in her area.

Jenny Symmons

Senior Researcher, Janet Daby MP

Jenny is a hard-working Parliamentary Assistant and a dedicated Chair of the GMB Union MPs’ and Peers’ staff branch, where she has worked tirelessly to ensure the branch remained active and supportive of its members throughout the pandemic.

Her work is of vital importance to Parliamentary staff as she oversees campaigns on topics such as paid vaccination leave and flexible and home working. Jenny also represents staff in disputes that often can involve sensitive issues like sexual harassment and bullying. During the pandemic, when staff were not physically in Parliament, she made sure to run union branch meetings via zoom for staff to voice their concerns in a secure place. She is always on hand to support MPs and new staff with her friendly and approachable demeanor.

Jenny advocates for a tolerant and respectful workplace and is committed to changing the culture of Parliament to make it a safe and supportive environment for all.

Sajid Hussain

Caseworker, Mark Eastwood MP

Sajid works as an Immigration Caseworker and Outreach Coordinator for the office of Mark Eastwood MP.

He has helped resolved hundreds of immigration cases affecting constituents, often working out of hours to ensure families are protected. The pandemic highlighted his strong commitment to supporting constituents abroad in places like India and Pakistan, as he worked ungodly hours to liaise with people in a multitude of time zones to coordinate their safe return to the UK. Sajid’s language skills and fluency in Arabic, Urdu and Punjabi is a real asset to his MPs constituency office, as he has helped connect and communicate with the diverse electorate in Dewsbury, that is seeing a growing population of Pakistani and Indian residents.

The pride Sajid takes in his work explains why he is a respected figure within his constituency, the Asian Community and the Home Office.

Estelle Warhurst

Office Manager, Sir Mark Hendrick MP

The establishment of the cross-party Wellness Working Group (WWG), focused on safeguarding the wellbeing of MPs staff both in Westminster and in their constituencies, is owed to Estelle’s hard work.

Estelle is determined to improve the mental health and wellbeing of MPs staff who are often subject to abuse and stress. As part of setting up the WWG, she helped create an intranet page that signposts staff to all relevant support services and collates them in one place. She has also been instrumental in arranging mindfulness sessions and mental health training for staff. Estelle’s caring nature is appreciated by lots of people, as she has a strong belief in looking after one another to maintain better health and as a result improve performance.

As a result of her work, she has helped hundreds of MPs staff receive support and assistance that in turn places them in better stead to serve constituents.

Hope Williams

Parliamentary Support Officer, Craig Whittaker MP

Hope, despite only working for Craig Whittaker MP since the start of the pandemic, has made a profound impact on the constituency of Calder Valley.

She has dedicated a lot of her free time understanding the complexities of casework and has had to deal with serious and sensitive issues from the get-go. Hope also leads the office of PR and Communications and played a key role in conceptualising a brand-new A-Z Virtual Careers Fair, something that had never been seen in Yorkshire. This event brought together various local professionals online and provided over 330 attendees, including students, career changers and the unemployed, with the opportunity to speak to a variety of employers across sectors.

The young, forward thinking and fresh perspective Hope brings to politics has reaped huge benefits for Craig’s office and has engaged many constituents who may have previously felt apathetic.

Cameron Brady-Turner

Senior Parliamentary Assistant, Preet Kaur Gill MP

Cameron has played a huge part in keeping on top of the unprecedented levels of casework in his MPs office, whilst also contributing to the running of successful campaigns that have had positive impacts for Edgbaston and beyond.

There is no task that Cameron has not carried out, supporting his MP on research, prep for speeches, social media and work with the British Sikhs APPG. He helped run the fuel poverty campaign focused on getting British Gas to change policy on raising the minimum top up amount for prepay tariffs, creating a petition that generated over 90,000 signatures. Cameron also led a building safety campaign, where he organised a Birmingham wide virtual summit, attended by the Minister, to support constituents facing extortionate bills for building remediation work due to the cladding scandal.

Cameron’s conscientiousness and caring nature has made a real difference in improving the livelihoods of constituents in Birmingham.

Gill Lee

Office Manager, Sir David Amess MP

Gill, as a loyal friend and office manager to the late Sir David Amess MP, has felt the loss that the country has felt to a great degree.

Notorious for being a dedicated constituency MP, Gill helped Sir David deliver for his constituents, often going beyond the call of duty to achieve success on all his priorities and goals. Whether this was through the organisation of Sir David’s diary both in London and Southend West, coordinating his business and supporting campaigns such as making Southend a city, Gill always applied hard work and diligence to these tasks.

Since Sir David’s tragic passing, Gill has personally spent a lot of time responding the many messages of condolence and support, whilst also ensuring that she supports the rest of the office’s staff with their mental health as they deal with shock and intense grief.

Sarah White

Senior Caseworker, Pauline Latham OBE MP

Prioritising the needs of constituents over her own is something that Sarah has clearly demonstrated over the past few years.

Sarah has built up a strong relationship with a mother and her ill son in Mid Derbyshire, who suffers from a rare auto immune disease. She has provided continuous aide to the family, helping them get the correct assistance and support they require to deal with a complex and challenging disease, also factoring their financial troubles as neither are in the position to work. The Covid-19 pandemic heightened the son’s vulnerability and with both unable to drive, Sarah offered to take them to the vaccination centre herself to avoid public transport and to ensure they were both comfortable and safe travelling to receive their immunizations.

The support Sarah has shown to this family throughout every step of their struggle highlights her kind and selfness nature, appreciated by all constituents.

Rebecca Clements

Communications Advisor & Parliamentary Assistant, Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP

Rebecca has supported many of the most vulnerable children in South Swindon during the pandemic through her leadership on a campaign that donates laptops to homeschoolers.

The campaign required dedication and huge time commitment from Rebecca as she had to contact local people and businesses, including IT businesses, who were able to take in donated devices and refurbish them ready for pupils to use. As a result of her efforts, around 60 laptops have been donated to school children. The success of the campaign meant that in May 2021, the scheme was extended so that local charities like Swindon MS and Neuro Therapy Centre could also benefit from donated laptops.

Rebecca demonstrated the importance of communities working together to support one another in times of crisis. Her selflessness and passion for helping those in need is unparalleled as she is still keen to work on the initiative despite currently recuperating from a serious road traffic accident.

Lucy-Anne Hickey

Parliamentary Assistant, Steve Baker MP

Lucy-Anne, since working for Steve Baker MP, has transformed the service that the constituency of Wycombe provide to the public.

Bringing energy and focus to her work, Lucy has been fundamental in rapidly crushing mountains of correspondence, always providing constituents with detailed responses to concerns. She ensures to work closely with Steve’s casework team and stakeholders to bring all matters of policy into Parliament and to the attention of ministers. Unphased by the adjustment to the new way of working during the pandemic, Lucy always ensured that Steve was fully prepped for all parliamentary business. She is currently working on bringing machine learning (AI) to the handling of emails, a complex task that promises to enhance the productivity of the office to benefit constituents as well as the wider nation.

The speed and quality of work that Lucy produces is unmatched, explaining why she a real asset to her MP.

Freddie Russell

Parliamentary Assistant, Rt Hon Dr Liam Fox MP

Freddie’s work and commitment to the issue of Cladding in light of the Grenfell disaster, has not only benefited those living in North Somerset but people nationally, earning him a stellar reputation for his service.

Despite its sensitive nature, Freddie has gone above and beyond to understand the issue of cladding and concerns regarding its use. Through establishing excellent relationships with constituents and listening to individuals in groups, Freddie was able to create a collaborative working environment where himself, residents and their MP, tabled an Amendment to the Fire Safety Bill. Even though this was not accepted by the Government, a compromise where DCLG and Homes England would conduct the ‘Portishead Case Study’ took crucial leadership from Freddie.

Freddie’s dedication to amplifying the voices of constituents saw him successfully secure two virtual visits for residents with Minister Lord Greenhalgh and the former Secretary of State, Robert Jenrick, in summer 2021.

Ameet Jogia

Chief of Staff, Lord Popat of Harrow

Starting as an intern and working his way up to Chief of Staff, Ameet is a talented and long-serving member of Lord Popat’s team.

Ameet helped set up the first International Women’s Day debate for non-Parliamentarians in Parliament and worked tirelessly to put Africa on the Parliamentary agenda in the Lords, working with APPGs, embassies and other organisations to enhance Africa’s status. Passionate about outlawing discrimination, he also spurred Lord Popat to host a debate in Parliament focused on anti-Semitism. His work also actioned removal of the embargo on key medicines during the pandemic, a benefit to local pharmacies and subsequently the wider population.

Ameet has been invaluable in championing on behalf of under-represented groups within Parliament and advocating for issues that often fall between the cracks with MPs. Despite tragically losing both his parents to cancer and then welcoming a newborn, Ameet continued to work, reflecting his admirable dedication to democracy.

Ben Wood

Legislative & Political Advisor, Lord Collins of Highbury

Ben played a fundamental role in providing political and research support to Lord Collins as Shadow Minister of FCDO.

He has supported the Labour review into possible reforms to United Nations institutions and has led the process from the start to its final stages. Ben has tasked with engaging international counterparts from all over the world to make sure his evidence reflects diversity of opinion. His hard work is evidenced in all that he does, earning him a great deal of respect for the effort he has put into bridging the gap between the Commons and Lords. The good relationships Ben has built within Parliament have made other challenges, such as evacuating Afghans out of Kabul, much simpler.

Through his stress on cooperation, Ben has encouraged collaborative foreign policy with cross party support, meaning Parliament has been able to fly the flag worldwide for human rights.

Grace Wright

Senior Political & Legislative Advisor, The Official Opposition, House of Lords

Grace as a Senior Political Adviser, is central to the smooth and efficient operation of the Official Opposition Office in the House of Lords.

Remote and hybrid working has proven to be a challenge for discussing the details of legislation as usual impromptu conversations have had to be pre-arranged and planned. Grace, who was the senior advisor to the Domestic Abuse Bill, remained unphased by this challenge and was calmly able to manage the various amendments and the overall process to the best of her ability. She also provides a great deal of support to her small but experienced team, ensuring they feel confident in managing their workload.

Grace is respected and trusted by many Labour Peers and staff for her excellent drafting and briefing skills and the mature political judgement she displays over complex issues, explaining why she is such an asset to her team.

Martyn Atkins

Committee Clerk, Procedure Committee

The Commons Procedure Committee was actively engaged in the arrangements for the House to continue functioning during the pandemic from the day it was nominated. Its engagement was crucial in the early days of lockdown, as its Chair and members reported on the House authorities’ proposals which ensured MPs retained their ability to represent constituents and scrutinise policy and legislation throughout the pandemic.

During those turbulent and uncertain weeks in March and April 2020, Martyn brought his calm manner, long experience of the committee’s work and considerable practical and procedural knowledge to assist the newly appointed committee. He played a key role in drafting the Committee’s recommendations on implementing hybrid Chamber proceedings and remote voting, and in securing the procedural arrangements for select committees to meet virtually.

Many Commons staff contributed immensely, in myriad ways, to the continued functioning of the House during the pandemic lockdowns. It is nevertheless no exaggeration to say that the House genuinely benefited from Martyn’s unique contribution.

Ed Beale

Head of Shared Team Services & Director of Business Management, Select Committee Team/Chamber & Participation Team

Ed is a motivated and committed leader, who oversees a large team of over 20 staff that cover a range of business support disciplines for select committees’ and chamber services.

In response to a recent review by the Clerk of the House of organisational structures, Ed was central to the establishment of the Chamber and Participation Team (CPT) and the Select Committee Team (SCT). He has played a crucial role in ensuring the two teams collaborate and develop close links to deliver the Commission’s vision and facilitate effective scrutiny and debate. Supporting this large-scale restructure has been a complex task however, Ed managed this extremely well, communicating highly effectively at all levels of the organisation to ensure a smooth transition. The support he provides to the managing directors of the CPT and SCT and other key stakeholders ultimately benefits the House service as a whole.

Ed’s excellent management behaviours are valued by his colleagues, meaning he sets an exceptional example that will help shape fantastic future leaders at the House of Commons.

David Slater

Clerk, Commons Clerk, Draft Online Safety Bill (Joint Committee)

David is an impressive individual, who has navigated the difficult and demanding job of supervising a committee of both houses on a complex and contentious piece of legislation, in a time of crisis.

He has been crucial in sourcing a variety of witnesses and stakeholders, providing briefings and responding to the needs of the committee. What makes David even more admirable is the fact that he was not supposed to be in this role and has stood in for a colleague dealing with an emergency, proving his versatility and adaptability.

The committee receives a lot of attention, and the Online Safety Bill is often in the press, however David has ensured both himself and his team focus the work of the committee on producing a well-argued report to government. His aim is to concentrate on improving this significant piece of legislation to benefit the lives of the public in the future.

Legislation Office, House of Lords

The Legislation Office is the engine room of the House of Lords as a legislative Chamber, supporting members in the scrutiny of all legislation, a task made increasingly difficult by the pandemic.

Despite unprecedented and challenging circumstances, 55 Bills were passed last Session, a credit to the professionalism and dedication of the Legislation Office. Not only have the team been able to manage business as usual, dealing with extremely heavy workloads, but they have also managed to push future initiatives such as progressing two transformational IT projects forward. The office has provided excellent services to facilitate the work of House members, like supporting new Deputy Speakers and Table Clerks, navigating unfamiliar IT from home.

The team has adjusted incredibly well to the ‘new normal’, including supporting a new process to continue remote participation for eligible disabled members. Throughout the crisis, the office worked tirelessly to support democracy and the rule of law.

Members’ Services Team

The Member’s Services Team (MST) have been praised by office managers and MPs staff for the incredible support they provide day in and day out, especially during the pandemic.

The team is responsible for assisting MPs and their staff through the provision of HR guidance, training, and pastoral support. The Drop-in sessions that the MST run and the Best Practice Guides they produce have helped Member’s staff feel supported and well-informed on a range of issues from dealing with suicide callers, to stress awareness, to data protection. When new staff first begin their employment, the team proactively contact them and ensure they feel welcomed and supported in an induction.

It is through the work of the MST that MPs staff from all over the UK have been brought together in a cross-party community, to share information and advice which in turn generates more efficient and effective services to their Member’s constituents.

Security Vetting & Pass Office

The Security Vetting team provide a crucial service supporting all stakeholders working across both Houses.

During the pandemic, the team remained on the Estate every day, unable to work from home due to their secure systems being inaccessible. The team helped with the Virtual Parliament, working with Broadcasting to clear various engineers to complete the process quickly to keep business operating as usual in an uncertain time. The return to work on the 6th of September was a busy time for the office due to the high volume of staff returning to work for the first time since Covid, however the teams’ meticulous planning and introduction of new measures enabled the smooth issuing of over 200 passes with minimal queues and delays.

Although travel at the pandemic’s height was daunting for staff members, the team’s dedication to their jobs meant that they continued working to ensure that members could conduct their vital work virtually.

Sally Freestone

Deputy Director of Parliamentary Broadcasting (Audio/Video), Broadcasting Unit, Houses of Parliament

Sally has been crucial in providing exceptional levels of support to hybrid proceedings to both the House of Commons and Lords from autumn 2020 onwards.

As a direct result of her work, members of both Houses could contribute to debates in large numbers when required, and both Houses were able to sit at short notice in hybrid form to pass, for instance, legislation to ratify the UK’s Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the EU.

Sally provided excellent support to colleagues working to link broadcasters, Zoom video conferencing operators and colleagues in the Chambers together, and through the bespoke training she developed, was able to coach colleagues who had not previously worked on Chamber business or coverage.

The professional commitment Sally has shown to her role has enabled the new system to work smoothly. Furthermore, Sally and her team have been brilliant in continuing to support disabled members of the House of Lords who retain eligibility to participate virtually into proceedings when they wish to.

Della Herd

Director of Business Management for People & Culture, People & Culture Team

Having worked in Parliament for nearly 25 years in a variety of roles, Della is a dedicated individual with a genuine interest in supporting a thriving Parliamentary democracy.

Della plays a vital role supporting her staff in their career progression and she will do anything she can to help with career development. Despite having an extremely busy job, Della always finds the time, often outside of working hours, to support individuals with application forms, prep for interviews and signpost any relevant career opportunities. Across the House, there are many individuals who would have received and benefitted from her career guidance. Della is the perfect role-model for excellent managerial behavior and is not afraid to call out malpractice, meaning she has been a huge part in driving the culture change within the House.

As a highly respected figure, the attention she places on ensuring staff satisfaction, makes Della worthy of recognition for her service.

Andrew Makower

Clerk of Legislation, Legislation Office, House of Lords

Andrew, as Clerk of Legislation in the Lords’ Legislation Office, was fundamental in enabling the House to continue with accountability and scrutiny of the Government and its legislation, during lockdown.

From the outset of the pandemic, Andrew looked at what would be needed to run an effective remote-working Parliament. He liaised with all concerned to ensure his development of procedures accommodated the needs of the House, rehearsing different scenarios in preparation for every eventuality. Andrew is always primed to deal with any difficulties when the House is sitting and is at the forefront of ensuring that the Lord Speaker’s team feel supported and well-briefed.

Even though most people will never fully know the level of work and planning that went into making Parliament function well during the pandemic, Andrew was a key player in making this unforeseen adjustment, which has benefitted the whole of the nation.