Whilst delivering the famous "Iron Curtain Speech" in Fulton, Missouri in 1946, Winston Churchill described the bond between the United Kingdom and the United States as a "special relationship". Having begun a new role as a Parliamentary Aide to Baroness Manzila Uddin of the House of Lords and walking the very same halls through which Churchill and a great many others have passed, the esteemed privilege of this special relationship has not been lost on me. Working as an American in Parliament, I have the unique opportunity to further immerse myself in British legislative affairs and expand my knowledge of the country’s political landscape, a very exciting prospect given that my dissertation focused on political communications, specifically, Donald Trump’s use of propaganda techniques within his 2020 election campaign.
My role as a Parliamentary Aide is all encompassing, from helping assist the Baroness with her administrative affairs and communications to managing press operations and undertaking research. As a recent graduate of Regent’s University London with a First Class Honours BA in Public Relations, I am particularly looking forward to helping the Baroness expand her outreach and strengthen her connection with her constituents. Whilst she is a member of a multitude of All-Party Parliamentary Groups, Baroness Uddin is the Chair of the APPG on the Metaverse and Web 3.0. This has afforded me the opportunity to attend events and hear from various speakers in the professional and academic spheres about the growing impact of AI and other such technologies that are reshaping our world both today and tomorrow. Naturally, these advancements require a proactive approach to regulation and legislation and, thus, it is very exciting to witness the forefront of these discussions and considerations. For example, one project I have recently undertaken has been to organize a roundtable hosted by the Baroness with the attendance of representatives from techUK and Meta regarding the adoption of metaverse technologies across public services in the UK.
Having only been in the role for just over a month, it is surreal to already reflect upon such a vast array of experiences. I am greatly looking forward to the work ahead, and, thanks to my recently issued pass, the doors are quite literally and figuratively opening before me!
