Introduction

Following Labour’s landslide general election victory in 2024, which brought in over 200 newly elected MPs, the Parliamentary Labour Party faced an urgent need to hire into the offices of 150+ new MPs in a very short timeframe. Traditionally, the recruitment process had relied on archaic systems and personal connections resulting in a lack of transparency and limited access to opportunities. Labour sought to transform this system, moving towards a professional, scalable recruitment model that prioritised merit and inclusivity. With parliamentary sessions set to begin almost immediately, and many MPs lacking support staff, the pressure to create an efficient, fair recruitment process was immense. To meet this challenge, the Party turned to The Early Careers Company, who developed and delivered a fully digital recruitment system within just three weeks, ensuring that equity of outcome was central to the process.

Solution

The Early Careers Company was tasked with creating a recruitment system that could rapidly deliver results while ensuring inclusivity, to professionalise the process and reach a broad, diverse talent pool, all in under three weeks. The outcome was the creation and launch of a dedicated careers platform – Work for Labour PLP.

The platform provided clear, accessible job descriptions and a straightforward application process, ensuring that candidates from all backgrounds had equal opportunities to apply. Alongside the website, ECC implemented a customised Applicant Tracking System (ATS), which streamlined the screening process by automating the early stages of candidate evaluation. This system efficiently assessed candidates based on their qualifications and fit for the role, removing bias and allowing MPs to quickly receive well-curated shortlists.

A structured screening model was developed for different types of roles. For regional positions, candidates were evaluated through role-specific questionnaires, offering an efficient pre-screening process. By standardising evaluation and eliminating informal networks, this system established a fair and transparent recruitment process.

Results

The creation of the Work for Labour PLP platform and implementation of a custom ATS allowed the Parliamentary Labour Party to achieve its ambitious goal swiftly and efficiently – delivering hires via the platform for 150+ MPs. MPs were provided with qualified candidates, vetted through a fair, merit-based process that replaced the traditional reliance on personal connections.

This modernised system significantly improved the recruitment process, fostering equity of outcome by offering opportunities to a wider, more diverse pool of candidates. By prioritising fairness and professionalism, Labour moved beyond outdated hiring practices and set a new standard for inclusive, scalable recruitment –ensuring a long-term framework that can be adapted for future needs.