Medha has been making her mark since day one
Medha Basin is a Clerk of the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy Second Clerk, Foreign Affairs Committee, House of Commons.
Before joining the House of Commons, I worked for the European Parliament's International Development Committee in Brussels as a Trainee Researcher and Adviser. Then I studied for a Master’s in Public Policy.
Since being here, I’ve held roles as Second Clerk on the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC), Standards and Privileges Committees, and Clerk of Public Petitions and Papers in the Journal Office.
Currently, I’m Clerk of the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy (JCNSS) and Second Clerk on the Foreign Affairs Committee. These committees scrutinise national security policy and foreign policy, respectively.
As Clerk to these committees, I manage the Secretariat team and act as the key liaison between the Chair and staff. I also oversee the delivery of the Committee’s work programme, including all reports, inquiry outputs, and evidence sessions. In addition, I am the primary procedural and strategy adviser to the Chair and wider Committee.
Alongside these primary responsibilities, I write the Dossier (which is the script) for the Speaker on a bi-weekly basis. I also sit on the Project Board for the Reciprocal Mentoring Programme, and I am an FDA Trade Union rep for the Select Committee Team.
What do I enjoy most? The variety and dynamism that comes with working at the House of Commons. Every day is different, and you must be flexible to the changing political agenda. The exposure to interesting, thought-provoking, and challenging work is incredible.
It is such a privilege to be so close to the heart of British politics. I get to be in the room when important decisions that affect British political life are being made, actively collaborating and working with MPs on a daily basis. This environment offers a steep learning curve, which is exciting and pushes me to continuously improve. I’m never bored!
What’s most surprising is the level of access and responsibility you are given from day one. From the moment I started working at the House, I was briefing MPs, managing my own inquiry, and advising on parliamentary proceedings.
Nearly six years on, this hasn’t changed. As you progress in your career at Parliament, you are trusted to take on more responsibility and have greater ownership over your work, always with the support of senior managers.
Medha is making Parliament happen, and so could you.