TweetGraduate Fog do some straightforward digging to reveal that London Mayor Boris Johnson, who “attacked young jobseekers for lacking the “appetite” to find work”:
“Is busy recruiting for his own unpaid intern to help with his Back Boris 2012 campaign for re-election in May. His full-time “campaign assistant” will receive travel and lunch expenses only.”
The ad was found on political jobs website w4mp – but Graduate Fog add some further legal and historical context:
“If these interns are found to fit the criteria that make them a ‘worker’ as defined by the national minimum wage law, it is unclear whether Johnson feels he would be protected by the IPSA ruling which attempts to create a loophole allowing MPs to have unpaid interns.
“If he is hoping for protection under this rule, it should be noted that as Mayor of London Johnson is not an MP. Nor is Back Boris 2012 a registered charity, so it seems unlikely he could claim that he is exempt from having to pay this campaign assistant for that reason either. We approached Johnson’s office for a comment but have had no response.”
Nicely done.
