Friend won the award for her research paper entitled ‘Hunting witches: Media representations of “non-compliant” woman MPs’. The paper – an assessment for the SPAIS teaching unit Politics of Gender – was a case study of the resignation of Maria Miller MP.

Professor Sarah Childs from SPAIS said: ‘The School would like to congratulate Ellen on her achievement. She faced stiff competition from entrants across the country, and we are delighted to see her work recognised in this way.’

The PSA exists to develop and promote the study of politics. Founded in 1950, it is the leading Association in the field in the UK, with an international membership including academics in political science and current affairs, theorists and practitioners, policymakers, researchers and students in higher education.