At sixteen, as the Brexit campaign gathered steam, Raees reached out to his local MP in Middlesborough who agreed to a meeting.
This formative meeting sparked a deeper engagement with the forces shaping voter disillusionment, and British democracy at large, which has shaped his career trajectory.
After finishing a law degree at Durham University, Raees jumped at the chance to work in the UK Parliament through the Patchwork Foundation’s Speaker’s Parliamentary Placement Scheme. Raees was assigned to work for Rachel Reeves MP in her private office — a placement that began just after the 2023 Labour Party conference and continued through the build-up to the general election.
“It was a wonderful opportunity — seeing what happens behind the scenes. There was a real sense of gearing up for government. It also made Westminster feel more human. Meeting so many elected officials made running for office feel like a tangible thing I could do.”
His decision to pursue the Master of Public Policy course was sparked when information about the Political Leadership Scholarship came into his inbox. “It seemed like a great coincidence. I was already looking for a Master’s programme and a way to specialise–and I was reading Professor Paul Collier’s "Greed is Dead" at the time!”
The Scholarship, which covers course fees for talented individuals from the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland who have the goal of standing for elected office within five years of completing the Master’s programme, enabled him to pursue the opportunity. “This is speaking to someone with a background like mine”, he thought.
Talking to alumni also convinced him to apply. He was inspired by the example of Keir Mather, who was elected in the Selby and Ainsty by-election at the age of 26. It was fantastic to meet Keir again at the Blavatnik School to talk more about running for office and get a sense of what life is like as an elected politician.
Political Leadership Scholars Raees Khan, Tara Porter McEvoy and Jason Bunting, pictured with alumnus Keir Mather MP
Paul Collier’s ideas have now been brought to life through his teaching. The seminars have explored strategies to bring agency back to communities and give them the tools to boost opportunity. Modules on political philosophy, economics and international law have also stood out. “I’ve loved how interdisciplinary it is. I had no background in economics before this, but it’s the foundation of so much policymaking.” He also comments on the calibre of teaching “from Jo Wolff to Philippa Webb and Janina Dill — they’re incredible.”
The curriculum has also given Raees the opportunity to really think through complex issues “from nationalism to populism, things that are usually presented as binaries”. The teaching has revealed the nuance in what is driving these movements and sharpened his expertise on these political undercurrents.
After finishing his studies, Raees will join the UK Civil Service Fast Stream graduate programme in September, to build on this expertise. In the longer term, he'd love to stand for office.
"I definitely want to run — either locally or nationally. I’m already thinking about ways to increase opportunity in Middlesbrough, like expanding access to education. People are willing to help, but you have to know what’s out there.”
Reflecting on what drives him, Raees is clear: “We need to make places like Middlesbrough feel like they’re part of the conversation. Right now, we’re cutting off a huge talent pool. If we want a better democracy, we have to widen who gets to shape it.”