MP bows to pressure on ‘expenses only’ intern

Claire Perry, Devizes MP and Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Defence, has bowed to pressure and decided to pay her new Westminster office intern the national minimum wage.  Her original advertisement said the intern would get ‘expenses only’.

The pressure group Intern Aware spotted the advertisement and persuaded her to pay the successful candidate.  Intern Aware campaign for fair internships: “We want to see the minimum wage enforced and recruitment based on talent.”

The new intern in Mrs Perry’s office will be appointed for three months but this could be extended. The closing date for applications is December 10 and the full spec for the role can be seen here.

Mrs Perry told Intern Aware via Twitter about the change in her job advertisement – thanked them and asked them: “Any good candidates?”