Rory P.
About me
| Rory P. | |
| Social Policy and Social Work | |
| Social Policy | |
| Undergraduate | |
| Goodricke | |
| 2003 | |
| United Kingdom |
My employment
| Former Member of the European Parliament | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Politics and public affairs | |
| Large business (250+ employees) | |
| 2017 |
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A day in the life of a Former Member of the European Parliament in the United Kingdom
Until January 2020, when the UK left the European Union, I was a Member of the European Parliament.
Briefly describe the organisation you work for
Until January 2020, when the UK left the European Union, I was a Member of the European Parliament. I represented the East Midlands region as a Labour MEP.
Prior to this I was the Deputy City Mayor of Leicester (2011-2017), the city's first Deputy City Mayor following the introduction of a new, executive mayor model of governance in May 2011. I led on a wide range of policy areas, as well as holding a significant portfolio of organisational responsibilities, as Deputy City Mayor.
I was also an elected councillor for ten years.
What do you do?
I was Labour's Health spokesperson in the European Parliament including leading Labour's work in the Brussels parliament throughout the Brexit process on the health impacts of the Withdrawal Agreement.
I was an active member of several leading European Parliament committees including the Environment & Public Health Committee; Employment & Social Affairs; and International Development.
I was an active member of the European Parliament's Delegation for Relations with the USA and Vice-Chair of the Delegation for Relations with Australia and New Zealand.
My work involved leading complex negotiations and discussions on EU legislation; raising important issues through the full range of European Parliament processes; speaking in parliamentary debates and making frequent media appearances; leading campaigns on a range of issues and building networks of support for issues I was working on; engaging with senior decision-makers at European and Member State levels including Government Ministers and MPs; working closely with officials and a wide range of stakeholders; representing my constituents and managing a high performing team for my UK and Brussels offices;
Reflecting upon your past employment and education, what led you to your current career choice?
I was unsure what I wanted to do after graduating. I worked for a leading policy think tank for a year before moving onto communications and campaigns roles with Members of Parliament. From there, I got more and more involved in the public policy and political world and was encouraged to stand for election as a city councillor, I have been extremely lucky that opportunities have followed which I've been fortunate to be able to take.
Is your current job sector different from what you thought you would enter when you graduated?
As above, I was unclear what exactly I wanted to do. However, I always felt that I would do something which was geared towards contributing to positive change in society and the role of local and national governments and wider public policy networks.
Describe your most memorable day at work
I have lots of great memories from the roles I've held so it's difficult to choose just one. Seeing legislative amendments I'd work on approved in votes and become adopted as part of final texts was always rewarding, or receiving a thank you card or note from a constituent you'd assisted or a concerned citizen thanking you for raising an issue they care about. I know it's a cliche, but no two days were the same.
What extracurricular activities did you undertake at university and what transferable skills did you develop through these?
I was involved in the students' union and political groups including the Labour Club. Thinking back, lots of skills were involved and developed through these involvements including leadership, teamwork, communication, strategy and planning, budget management and more.
Next steps...
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