Parliament

I just realized I haven't told you anything about my internship yet, which I must do in order to relate some ridiculously cool events that happened yesterday. So here's a quick overview of my life as a working woman...

Parliament. It's not the US government with British accents. Though there are some similarities in structure between the two, it's a very different system. Citizens (or Subjects, as they are sometimes called) directly elect their Ministers of Parliament (MPs), but the Prime Minister gains power by dint of his position as leader of the majority party, not through an election of the people. So the executive is also a legislator, which, as my 7th grade history teacher Mrs. Kregelka would like to remind you, would not fly in the US because of that whole rule about separation of powers. There are a lot of other differences, but without turning this into a civics lecture, suffice it to say that Parliament FEELS like a government when you walk inside, just like the Capitol does- the crisp suits, dark oak walls, and vaulted ceilings dazzle the first-time visitor and create an atmosphere that buzzes with excitement and anticipation.

I work for Ben Wallace, an MP from Wyre and Preston North (Google map it!). He is an outgoing and friendly man with rosy cheeks and that slightly intimidating quality of delivering jokes in such a manner that you never know whether to laugh or not. My first conversation with him revolved around his constituency, Detroit, and the pubs I should go to. Unlike senators, MPs do not have a large staff to work with. In the office of Ben Wallace, it's just his office manager Zoe and myself. (P.S. Zoe is my boss and she is a wizard. The office would fall apart without her.) Which means they actually need my help to get through the work that piles up each day. It's not like I'm writing policies or anything, but on my first day I was already writing response letters to constituents, who contacted Ben for help with anything from child support payments to hospital closures. To do so, I have to read the history of the case, and in doing so I get to learn a lot about the lives of British citizens and the problems they face. I'm also in charge of opening and sorting my MP's mail each morning. The other day he received an abacus from a professor concerned about the demise of education in Britain. I don't know what the abacus was supposed to do, but it was fun to open. Oh, and I also had to RSVP to some events, which was slightly embarrassing because sometimes the person on the other end couldn't understand my accent. ("Wait, where are you calling from? Whose office?") So much for being smooth.

The thing that strikes me most about Parliament is its accessibility. It's not like anyone can just stroll in, but within 2 days I got my security pass, allowing me bypass the metal detector each morning and access pretty much any door in that beautiful beautiful building on the Thames. (Our office is actually in Portcullis House, a modern building next to Westminster housing over 200 MPs, but it connects to the Palace next door.) I've never worked in Congress, but I have a feeling that I see much more of my MP than I would of a Senator, with a huge staff and a much larger district to represent. There is something more personal about the British MPs that I like-- it actually feels like they can offer direct assistance to their constituents.

It's a unique opportunity, to be sure. As an American getting an inside peek at the British government, I almost feel like I'm intruding into someone else's home. But everyone is very friendly and eager for me to see as much as I can. Hopefully I'll get to sit in on a debate soon, which will be fascinating. I'll keep you updated.

Anyway, I have to run, but soon I'll post an account of the events of yesterday, which I mentioned at the beginning. Oh foreshadowing, gotta love it.