Hillary Clinton has not yet revealed whether she will be calling time on her long political career. She used her recent concession speech, however, to address people at the beginning of theirs. “Please never stop believing that fighting for what’s right is worth it,” she said.
The US presidential election, like the EU referendum before it, has laid bare how millions of people feel disenfranchised by the political establishment. At the same time, this era of great political uncertainty will lead people to become more politically active and organised – it is these people Clinton was appealing to.
We are already seeing signs of this in the UK, post-referendum, with Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats all reporting a surge in membership. But where should those wanting to build a career in politics start?
Dozens of leading politicians in the UK have followed the same career trajectory, reading politics, philosophy and economics at Oxford University before heading straight Westminster where they rise up the ranks, working for politicians before becoming one. A debate rages on about whether these career politicians – or those with experience outside of the political sphere – are in the best position to serve the public. Although this path into politics is well-trodden, it is certainly not the only route. There are many more ways to build a career in politics than becoming a politician.
If you want a political career but are unsure where to start, join us on Wednesday 23 November from 1–2.30pm GMT for a live chat with a panel of experts. We will be discussing:
- Whether having a degree is necessary
- How important experience outside of politics is
- Non-traditional paths into politics and careers outside of Westminster
The Q&A takes place in the comments section below this article. Taking part is easier than ever: create a free Guardian account, or log in using your Twitter or Facebook profiles to comment. Alternatively, tweet us @GuardianCareers or email your questions to sarah.shearman@theguardian.com who can post them for you.
The panel
Peter Allen is a senior lecturer in politics at Queen Mary University of London. He researches political representation and his book The Political Class will be published next year.
Shazia Awan is a PR consultant, writer, equality activist and media commentator. In 2011 she was named top Asian female entrepreneur for her clothing business. Before this she was a conservative parliamentary candidate and the first Asian woman to address a Welsh Conservative party conference.
Ivana Bartoletti is chair of the Fabian Women’s Network and vice chair of the Fabian Society. She worked with Sadiq Khan in the mayoral election and stood in Havering and Redbridge as a London Assembly candidate. She is a privacy and information professional with a background in European politics.
Jo Blackman is senior EU and international campaigner at Global Witness where she campaigns on deforestation and the illegal timber trade. Prior to that, she spent eight years working for the Labour Party in international relations. She has also worked for a Labour MP, MEP and as government relations manager for Save the Children.
Julian Cooke is national political officer for Unison. He has extensive experience of Unison’s relationship with the Labour party, helping young activists and the next generation of trade unionists build their careers. Before Unison, Julian worked in the health service.
Afzal Khan is a member of the European Parliament for the North West, representing the Labour Party. He is vice chair of the security and defence committee and a member of the foreign affairs committee. Before he became an MEP, he was the first Asian Lord Mayor of Manchester and served as a councillor for 15 years.
Fiona Richardson is senior careers consultant with The Careers Group London. She works with social science and public policy students at King’s College London, advising on careers in public policy, Westminster, government and international relations.
Caroline Russell is a Green Party politician who is a member of the London Assembly and an Islington councillor. She began her career as an artist before pursuing civil engineering and then transport campaigning and politics.
Carl Thomson is director of the Whitehouse Consultancy, an issues-led communications agency based in London. Before joining Whitehouse he worked in the House of Commons as an assistant to Theresa May and John Redwood. He was a Conservative Party parliamentary candidate at the 2005 general election and served as a local councillor for six years.
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