Students quiz Mid Cheshire MP candidates on issues affecting young people

STUDENTS at a Northwich high school have spoken of their experience quizzing the candidates hoping to become the MP for Mid Cheshire.

Hartford CoE High School's year 10 pupils Charlie O'Connell, Ben Barfield, Hayden Forster and Lyra Riley were invited to attend a parliamentary hustings at nearby St John's Church earlier this month.

Joined by their history teacher Dan Rooney, the quartet asked two questions of the attending candidates - Labour's Andrew Cooper, Conservative Charles Fifield, Lib Dem Jack Price-Harbach, the Green Party's Mark Green, independent Helen Clawson, and Reform's Emma Guy.

Independent candidate Stella Mellor had been unable to attend.

The students said: "It was a privilege to be invited to this event and have our first real taste of politics.

"The event ran smoothly, and it was interesting to hear each candidate's opening lines: promises made, stances shown, and battle lines drawn.

"We had prepared a selection of questions to put to the candidates and really test their metal, hoping to find out their opinions on key issues, particularly for young people."

The first of their questions was on how candidates plan to tackle the issue of County Lines crime, with so many vulnerable children being manipulated into making wrong decisions and turned away from education. They also asked what prevention and support measures should be in place.

The students added: "This question was answered with a resounding agreement for a need to educate vulnerable children, ensure that students living in poverty are given opportunities, and also to consider the legalisation of some drugs to ensure stringent measures are put in place to check the safety around them."

The second questioned focused on scholarships for less fortunate children in further education and how more young people, worrying about the financial implication, can be encouraged to go to university.

They said: "Our second question was answered with a joke from the Lib Dem candidate about his party perhaps not having the best track record with this issue!

"However, he and the other candidates all agreed that education is a right and that we should support young peoples’ aspirations to be successful and follow their dreams.

"We were very impressed with all the candidates who were honest, open and willing to discuss difficult issues and questions from the public.

"We may not be old enough to vote in this election, but we feel confident in trusting our adults to make the right decision.

"We know that next time, the new generation of electorate will continue to hold our leaders to account and value the democracy that so many fought so hard to achieve."