Profile: Lisa Gillmore, Branch President, GMB MPs and Peers Staff Branch
Over my years working for MPs, I have gone from being an intern to a senior parliamentary researcher. I have experienced two general elections with very different outcomes, a global pandemic and the shortest-serving prime minister in history. With this I have also experienced the highs and lows of working for MPs. From working on my party’s policy platform for Government to becoming redundant when the election was called through my employer’s retirement, I understand how precarious a workplace Parliament can be.
In February 2025, I was honoured to be elected President of GMB MPs’ and Lords’ Staff Branch. I stood with a strong belief in the power of staff coming together to create change in our shared workplace. Parliament can be an isolating environment with unique challenges, but I am committed to ensuring that staff—whether based in Westminster or in constituency offices—feel welcome, supported, and secure. Last year’s general election presented a huge opportunity for us as a union branch, and I want to see that realised.
Our dedicated committee, supported by workplace representatives, is already providing vital support to staff, organising events to build community, and campaigning for lasting systemic change. Our flagship campaign is to secure single employer status for Members’ staff. Currently, there are 650 individual employers, each with their own employment practices—some excellent, others deeply problematic. Moving to a model where staff are employed by the House authorities would not only improve protections and entitlements but also bring consistency and fairness across the board. The European Parliament provides a compelling precedent, where assistants are selected by MEPs but employed under a unified system. This model enables staff to work closely with Members in a relationship built on trust, while benefiting from clear, standardised employment terms. Such reform would transform staff recruitment, retention, and wellbeing.
As I continue to campaign for this change, I carry with me the trust of my fellow staffers—and I will always put their interests first.
