.png)
On Tuesday evening, a room full of Brave Starts members got something you rarely get: a straight answer about what a life in politics actually involves.
Our guests were Baroness Jenkin, Lord Sharpe of Epsom and former Education Secretary Gillian Keegan. Between them they have sat in both Houses, run government departments and helped get more women into Parliament. They talked about the pay, the hours, the knocks and the reasons they would still do it all again.
A huge thank you to Policy Exchange for hosting us and making the evening possible.
If you weren't there, here is what you missed. And if you've ever thought "someone should sort this out" about your town, your sector or your country, read on. The panel's message was clear: that someone could be you.
The reality: pay, hours and the shape of the week
Let's start with the numbers, because everyone wants to know. An MP's basic salary is £98,599 a year (set by IPSA from April 2026). The Prime Minister earns roughly £175,000 in total: the MP salary plus a ministerial salary on top.
It is a good salary, but nobody on the panel pretended it was the reason to do the job.
The week has a familiar rhythm:
- Monday to Wednesday: in Westminster, for debates and votes.
- Thursday and Friday: back in the constituency, meeting residents, businesses and local organisations.
- Saturday: usually more constituency work, from surgeries to community events.
- Sunday: preparing for the week ahead.
How much flexibility you get depends heavily on the team around you, and who can handle things while you're away. Make no mistake: it is a full-on, relentless job. Yet all three speakers described it, with real passion, as the most meaningful work they have done.
Why your career experience counts: Gillian Keegan's balance sheet
One of the most striking moments came from Gillian Keegan. Before Parliament, she spent years in senior corporate roles, including at the travel technology company Amadeus. The skill she credited most? Being able to read a balance sheet.
In television interviews, she explained, presenters would sometimes spring a graph on her. Because she was comfortable with numbers, she could look at it and say: hang on, I'm not sure that's right. Take that data from a different time period and it might tell a very different story.
That same confidence helped her win arguments inside government. She wanted more childcare support for working mothers, including women in senior roles. The Treasury's instinct was that high earners should pay for their own childcare. Gillian made the business case instead: fund the childcare, those women return to work and earn more, and the extra tax they pay more than covers the cost.
That is exactly the kind of thinking a long professional career builds. It is not a nice-to-have in politics. It is what makes a minister effective.
Thick skin, soft words: Lord Sharpe on resilience and diplomacy
Lord Sharpe was candid about the harder side. In politics, plenty of people will not like you, and you have to be able to cope with that.
He stressed the importance of saying no: no, I don't have time for that; no, I don't think that's a good idea; no, that would be political suicide. Learning to say it clearly, and to live with the reaction, is part of the job.
Resilience is only half of it. He also urged real diplomacy. What looks hyper-efficient in a business setting can land badly in public life. Tell people you cut a lot of jobs and saved a lot of money, and it can sound brutal - however sound the decision! In politics, how you present a result matters as much as the result itself, and that means leading with empathy.
All three speakers agreed that political life can be brutal. Going in with your eyes open is half the battle.
Opening doors: Baroness Jenkin and Women2Win
Baroness (Anne) Jenkin has spent two decades changing who gets into Parliament. As co-founder of Women2Win, she has helped a generation of women to stand, get selected and win, and many of them have gone on to serve as MPs and ministers. When Anne launched Women2Win, just 17 Conservative MPs were women; by 2015 there were 68 and today more than 40% are in the shadow cabinet.
Anne's work is proof that the gap can be narrowed, one candidate at a time, and that the next one could be in our community.
What it takes: the skills the panel looks for
Asked what makes someone suited to political life, the panel kept coming back to the same qualities:
- Resilience. You will be criticised, sometimes personally. You need to keep going.
- A focus on solving problems. There are already plenty of people talking about the issues. What's needed are people who will roll up their sleeves and fix them.
- Proactivity. Unhappy about crime where you live? Do something about it. Fed up with litter? Organise a litter pick. Your local school needs money? Help raise it.
- A public orientation. A track record of helping others and serving your community.
- Diplomacy and collaboration. Getting things done means bringing people with you.
- Confidence. Like it or not, this is a public role. You need to be comfortable telling people what you've achieved and the difference it has made.
And one final reality check: this is not a role that will make you rich. If money is your main motivation, look elsewhere.
If you're already the person who runs the summer fair or rallies the neighbours, you may be closer to this world than you think.
Beyond Westminster: the public roles hiding in plain sight
The Commons and the Lords are the visible end of public life, but they are far from the only route in. The panel highlighted the wide range of public bodies that run much of the country, from agencies such as the DVLA to the boards of our national museums.
These organisations need experienced professionals in senior and board-level roles, and the panel was clear that the need is real. If you have spent decades running teams, budgets, operations or strategy, this is where that experience is wanted.
The roles are advertised openly. The government's public appointments site lists board roles at public bodies, and Civil Service Jobs carries senior posts. Both are worth bookmarking.
Building your public service CV
If becoming an MP is your goal, the panel's advice was practical: show that public service is a commitment you have already made, not a whim.
Selection panels want to see evidence on your CV, such as:
- serving on the board of a charity or non-profit
- volunteering or charity work
- being a local councillor
- getting involved with your local political association, whichever party it is
Each of these shows you have considered what the life involves and chosen it anyway. Many are open to you now, alongside whatever else you are doing.
Resources for your next steps
Party networks for women
The major parties all run networks to support women into politics:
- Conservative: Women2Win (co-founded by our speaker Baroness Jenkin). Email info@women2win.com.
- Labour: Labour Women's Network
- Green Party: Green Party Women
- Liberal Democrats: Liberal Democrat Women
- Reform UK: Women for Reform. Search "Women for Reform" to find local groups.
Cross-party and non-party support
- 50:50 Parliament works across parties to get more women into politics at every level, with training and support.
- ElectHer supports women who have never considered politics before, with training and resources.
- Be a Councillor is the Local Government Association's programme explaining what councillors do and how to stand, including as an independent.
Public appointments and boards
- Apply for a public appointment: a rolling list of board vacancies at government bodies.
- Civil Service Jobs: senior roles across government departments and agencies.
- Women on Boards UK: helps women move into non-executive, trustee and public board roles.
- Reach Volunteering: routes into charity trustee roles, a strong first line on a public service CV.
Other ways to build a record of public service
- Become a magistrate: a volunteer judicial role that sits well alongside other work.
- Governors for Schools: places volunteers on school and academy boards.
Don't miss the next one
Evenings like this are why Brave Starts exists. Our members got an evening of frank, first-hand insight from people who have done the job. You can't get that from a podcast or a careers page.
The room left with practical next steps and a clearer sense that their experience is an asset in public life, not something to apologise for.
We run events like this throughout the year, alongside a community of 1,000+ experienced professionals exploring what comes next.
.png)
Our next face-to-face event is in January, in partnership with the Centre for Government Reform. Places will be limited. Next time, make sure you're in the room. JOIN US!
