Watford MP Richard Harrington has welcomed the winning team from the Inter- School Parliementary Debate he established, to Parliament to meet with John Bercow MP, Speaker of the House of Commons.
The winning team from Queens School, included Sasha Waloff, Sophie Lewis, Becky Robson, Kirstie Brittain, Jasmine Botchey and Georgia Barrow who enjoyed the chance to look around Parliament, attend a debate and have a coffee with Speaker Bercow.
To engage more young people in politics, Richard Harrington set up the first Watford Inter- School Debating Competition which saw local schools competing in a series of debates at the event held in Parliament last December. Queens school were the eventual winner, judged the best in the final debate, chaired by a group of local MPs.
Another debating competition will be held later this year in the House of Commons.
Richard said:
“ The team from Queens was a well deserved winner and I am pleased they enjoyed their prize. They are all very bright young ladies and I am sure that there is a future politician amongst the group.
The standard from all schools was extremely high and it was great to see so many young people engaged in politics and debating current issues. I am looking forward to holding the competition again this year.”
Georgia Barrow from Queens School added:
“The debating competition was a lot of fun and debating really helps with public speaking, confidence, and finding out more about politics. It was great to discuss this with the Speaker as well as ask him more about his job, we also had a tour of Parliament, tea on the terrace, and went to watch a Parliamentary debate – so the whole day was a really amazing experience and one we won’t forget any time soon!” –