Every summer, The Spectator runs a paid internship scheme, which we arrange by categories: research, editing, data/tech, social media. Last year we added a new category: the political mischief internship. The quality of applicants was so extraordinary that we hired one of the applicants, John Connolly, who now works for The Spectator full time as assistant digital editor.
So we’re bringing it back for the new year – and out of season. Given the year-round demand for news, politics and an explanation to it all, we are looking for interns to help assist with Coffee House as soon as possible. We’re looking for someone who knows their Ben Bradshaws from Ben Bradleys. Someone digitally literate – who can file an FOI, navigate Photoshop and set up a Companies House alert. Someone who has a sense of humour and a developed sense of the absurd.
Those interested should complete two tasks of your choice from Part 1 and all of Part 2:
Part 1
- What connects Glasgow East, Southampton Itchen and Arfon?
- Which MP has changed their position the most times on Brexit in the past year? Provide evidence for your claim.
- Send three ideas for a Steerpike story
- Send three topics for a Freedom of Information request
- What is the best political interview of 2019 so far – and why?
- Submit an article with the headline ‘Eight people who think they could be Britain’s… xxx’ – choosing a public figure of your choice (this link, for reference)
Part 2
Take three articles from the latest print issue of The Spectator magazine and come up with (a) a new headline which would work well to sell the story online (b) a tweet to promote the article through The Spectator Twitter account.
Please send a short note about why you’d like to work with us. A time-saving tip: if you’re not already a close follower of UK politics, this internship won’t be for you. It’s not something you can mug up on. This is not something a degree prepares you for: our last two hires to the Spectator editorial team were a former barman and a former Lidl store manager. Both brilliant journalists from whom the world will hear plenty, but both a reminder that journalistic talent can be hiding in all kinds of places.
That’s why we don’t want a CVs: we don’t care where (or whether) you went to university. Or how old you are. All we care about is whether you can do the job. We expect the internships to last for 1-2 weeks.
There has never been a better time to work for The Spectator and we are expanding fast. Our sales are at a 190-year high, with growth driven by readers who get to know us through the website: as a result, we’re expanding. So this internship is best suited to those who are ready to work.
Entries to editor@spectator.co.uk with ‘Intern application: mischief’. Deadline: 4 February (ie, soon).
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