Name: Harry Watkinson
Job Title: Political Consultant
Age: 30
From: Forest of Dean, UK

How long have you been in London?
This is my second spell in the capital and I’ve been here a year now.  Previously I lived in Tooting Bec, working as a journalist for the Crawley News.

What were you doing before this?
I was a TEFL teacher and freelance journalist for InMadrid, a listings title in the Spanish Capital.  I was also an occasional contibutor to Hot English Magazine, an english language learning title, and the British Chamber of Commerce Annual.

Why did you come to London?
This is where a lot of my friends live and the place where I feel most comfortable living in England.  I enjoy the wide variety of opportunities here for entertainment.  I especially like being by the River Thames and Richmond Park and meeting up with friends for a good chat.

What did you hope to achieve?
I hoped to find the true direction in my life.

What does your job involve on a day-to-day basis?
Consulting with local communities and local politicians about developments that may be built in their local surroundings.

What responsibilities do you have?
Working as a manager I am responsible for agreeing programmes of community and political consultation and ensuring that these agreed courses of action are followed through effectively and efficiently.

What are the best bits?
The people I work with, and the opportunity to do lots of different things: writing reports, meeting politicians, speaking to journalists and going to events.

And the worst?
Dealing with John Prescott’s M4 bus lane on a daily basis.  This was the ingenious idea of ‘Two Shags’ to give over the fast lane of one of the busiest motorways in the UK to buses and taxis.  In turn leaving the remaining two lanes to a large parking lot!

What is the typical package (salary + benefits) for your job?
Around £25 – 30k to someone with a couple of years experience.

Do you have to have prior experience?  If so, what helped get you the job?
Experience of politics is essential.  Ideally some form of political campaigning where you have knocked on doors and dealt with the questions and queries of the general public.

How did you go about getting it?
I saw it advertised on the www.w4mp.org website and applied.

Any tips you could give our readers?
Join a political party and get involved because real political experience and contacts are what are important.  Also make sure that if you want to get to know British popular culture you watch at least a couple of episodes of ‘Bullseye’ with Jim Bowen.  And if you master that then try tackling ‘Play Your Cards Right’ with Bruce Forsyth.

Anything you know now that you wish you’d known before coming to London?
For some reason that despite the change in the licensing laws, most Central London bars are determined to close at 11pm!

What, if any, lessons could the readers of AE Blog learn from your experience in London?
Don’t get caught in the trap of trying to maintain a wide circle of friends.  Instead really pursue what you really enjoy either by yourself or with a select band of comrades.

What does the future hold for you Harry?
Hopefully health, love and happiness.

Thank you Harry for talking to Answer English