MP
MPs represent people's concerns and interests in the House of Commons.
What you'll do
Day-to-day tasks
As an MP, you'll attend sessions in Parliament to:
- vote on new laws and policies
- raise constituents’ concerns with ministers
- debate issues and ask questions
Outside Parliament, you'll:
- talk to businesses and schools about local, national and international issues
- speak to the media
- attend meetings and conferences
- hold advice sessions in your constituency
Working environment
Your working environment may be physically and emotionally demanding and you may spend nights away from home.
Career path and progression
General elections are held every 5 years, so it can take some time to become an elected MP.
With experience, you might get the opportunity to:
- take on extra responsibilities like chairing committees
- move from junior minister to minister, then to cabinet minister if your party is in power
- become a party whip or party leader
- be a spokesperson on certain issues or have responsibilities in a shadow cabinet if your party is in opposition
What it takes
Skills and knowledge
You'll need:
- legal knowledge including court procedures and government regulations
- an understanding of society and culture
- excellent verbal communication skills
- analytical thinking skills
- active listening skills
- the ability to think clearly using logic and reasoning
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- persistence and determination
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
Restrictions and Requirements
You'll need to:
- be over 18 years of age
- be a UK, Republic of Ireland or Commonwealth citizen
To stand for election, you'll need to be nominated by at least 10 electors from the constituency you wish to represent. You also need to pay a £500 deposit which you get back if you get more than 5% of the total votes in your constituency.
Some people are not allowed to be an MP, for example someone convicted of electoral fraud. You can find out more from the Electoral Commission.
How to become
You can get into this job by being elected by voters in the constituency you wish to represent.
Most people show their commitment through campaigning and volunteering for their party.
You could also:
- serve as a local councillor
- be active in a trade union
- get involved in student politics
- work as a researcher or caseworker for an existing MP
Contact your local councillors or your student office to ask about opportunities to volunteer with them.
To become an MP, you have to be elected in a byelection or general election. You can stand for election as a member of a political party or as an independent candidate.
Each political party has its own selection procedure. Usually, you'll need to get the support of your party's nominating officer before you can become a candidate.
During an election, you'll be expected to campaign in public and online, attend meetings, make speeches and talk to the local media. You'll find it helpful to have some experience in one or more of these areas.
Career tips
You'll need a good understanding of local and national issues, and keep up to date with current affairs.
The Houses of Parliament offer the following schemes to get involved:
- Parliamentary Academy Scheme
- Speaker's Parliamentary Placement Scheme
- House of Commons Apprenticeship Scheme
- House of Lords Apprenticeship Scheme
- Undergraduate Sandwich Student Placements
Find more information about parliamentary work placements and apprenticeship programmes.
Further information
You can get more advice about becoming an MP from UK Parliament.
You can also find information about working for an MP from Working for an MP (W4MP).
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This page contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.