Facing a grilling

Photo: Darren Robinson

By-election hustings at the Grange Arts Theatre at The Oldham College. PIC shows Selected Schools Audience.

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Young people fire the big questions at our candidates

YOUNG people from across Oldham came face to face with the by-election candidates to fire questions about the issues which affect them most.

Oldham College worked with the Evening Chronicle to stage a hustings at Grange Theatre, giving young people a rare chance to give the candidates standing in the Oldham West and Royton by-election a good grilling.

Schools and colleges from across Oldham filled the room as candidates Jim McMahon (Labour), John Bickley (UKIP), James Daly (Conservative), Jane Brophy (Liberal Democrat) and Simeon Hart (Green Party) locked horns in the debate, hosted by BBC “North West Tonight” presenter Annabel Tiffin.

Oldham College streamed the event live on its YouTube channel, and among the guests were a party of students from China on an exchange visit.

The students took turns in asking the five candidates their questions with topics covering education funding cuts, employment, multiculturalism and air strikes on Syria.

Oldham College principal and chief executive Alun Francis, said: “We are really pleased with the contributions from the candidates and with the fact that students came from schools and colleges and had the chance to take part.

“I’m really grateful to Annabel Tiffin for coming and hosting a wonderful event and to our students for broadcasting it and the Oldham Chronicle for working with us to make it happen. It is exactly the sort of thing we should be doing to promote the town.

“What’s really important is that young people had a chance to really engage and understand issues and to have their voice heard.”

Annabel Tiffin said: “This is a really great event to engage young people in politics. It gives them an opportunity to ask the questions they want answering whether the politicians chose to answer them or not.

“They asked very insightful questions and questions that matter to them in terms of student funding and the trouble in Paris. They did very well.”

Sameera Riaz, a Waterhead Academy Year 10 pupil, said: “It got quite heated at one point as UKIP and Labour had very strong views on a certain topic. It was really interesting and got the debate really going.”