One of the Blavatnik School’s first Political Leadership Scholars, Keir Mather and former Chief Operating Officer and Senior Fellow in Public Management, Calum Miller, were sworn into the UK Parliament last week, after winning seats for the Labour Party in Selby and Kippax and the Liberal Democrats in Bicester and Woodstock respectively.

Calum said that he was “delighted” to meet Keir on his first day in Parliament and added that he was “looking forward to learning from old hands like him”, as Keir was re-elected to his seat. They join almost 350 Blavatnik School faculty and alumni working in governments or intergovernmental organisations across 74 different countries around the world.

Keir, who has just been appointed as Assistant Whip for the Labour Party, studied for the Master of Public Policy (MPP) at the School in 2020, an intensive year-long graduate degree with a practical focus for those who are committed to improving public policy around the world.

“I benefitted from a system in which political representatives ensured that people like me could receive a good education and go on to study at world-class universities,” said Keir. “I feel a moral obligation to work towards ensuring future generations of children have those same opportunities.”

Calum has held multiple roles at the School, most recently championing ‘Ready to Run’, an initiative directly tailored to students thinking of running for office. Building on the insights shared by former students, the seminar series seeks to support current students in making an informed decision about entering electoral politics and to give them a toolkit for a campaigning successfully. The School will now benefit even more from Calum’s insights in designing and successfully executing a campaign.

Reflecting on his priorities and the challenges in the future, Calum said that he feels “determined to repay the trust people have put in me”. "So many people told me during the campaign that they had lost trust in politics and I want to do my bit to restore that.” 

For those aiming to follow in their footsteps, the ‘Ready to Run’ seminar series, spearheaded by Calum, will continue to be a part of the MPP course next year. Keir has also encouraged prospective applicants not to be put off by financial barriers, citing the wide-ranging financial support available for the MPP. The Political Leadership Scholarships offers full funding for candidates who commit to running for office in local or national UK or Irish politics within five years of graduating.

Keir describes the Political Leadership Scholarship as a “perfect opportunity for those in the early stages of their political career who want to combine a practical commitment to public service with an academically rigorous grounding in public policy”. For Calum, this resource is a “wonderful investment in a new generation of talented political leaders”.

To find out more about applying for the MPP visit our course pages. For further information about the Political Leadership Scholarship and other funding opportunities, visit the MPP fees and funding page.