Can an MP really make a difference?

Can an MP really make a difference?

Oona King (Author and Former Member of Parliament) gives expert video advice on: Who was your boss?; How much do MPs earn?; Do all MPs get the same salary? and more...

An MP can definitely make a difference on a personal level, and I received thousands and thousands of cards and letters from individual constituents who told me I had changed their life. That's really gratifying if you work really hard. A lot of the times in the media you just get slagged off from morning until night, so it's nice when on a personal level you know that you've made a difference. An MP can also make a difference in Parliament depending on how savvy they are. You got some clever MP's, and you've got some less clever MP's. The clever MP's are the ones who work out how the system works, how you influence a minister, how you retain that influence with the minister, and how you bring that influence to bear.