Youngsters quiz MPs at Question Time-style debate

By The Newsroom
Published 10th Dec 2015, 13:04 BST
Pupils at Batley Girls' High School quizzed political leaders at a Question Time-style event last week.Pupils at Batley Girls' High School quizzed political leaders at a Question Time-style event last week.
Pupils at Batley Girls' High School quizzed political leaders at a Question Time-style event last week.
Youngsters turned the tables and quizzed the district’s political leaders during a Question Time-style debate.

Pupils from Batley Girls’ High School took part in their own take on a Question Time debate last Friday.

It featured politicians MP Jo Cox (Lab, Batley & Spen), MP Craig Whittaker (Con, Calder Valley) and Baroness and Councillor Kath Pinnock (Lib Dem, Cleckheaton).

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Liz Ward, ambassador for the international WE Day organisation and Aaisha Raja, the school’s student political lead, also took part in the debate.

Baroness Kath Pinnock.Baroness Kath Pinnock.
Baroness Kath Pinnock.

David Cooper, deputy headteacher at the school, said: “We believe as a school that this kind of event is vital in order to stimulate genuine political debate and discussion of the major issues we are facing.

“The future of our community is in the hands of our young people and we couldn’t have asked for a more interested and well-informed audience. The panel were fantastic and our students learned a great deal from their eloquence, professionalism and debating skills.”

More than 450 pupils joined the action as pupils put the politicians through their political paces.

Questions for the debate were set by sixth form and year 10 pupils and included discussions of Syria air strikes, tuition fees, feminism and voting age.

Related topics:Jo CoxQuestion Time