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BY LUCY CAULKETT

Leeds City College are hosting an EU Referendum debate next Thursday, 6 May, with students and local MPs to discuss the pros and cons of Brexit.

The event, to be held at St George’s Church between 2pm and 3.30pm, is expected to enhance the knowledge of students on the competing arguments, by giving them the opportunity to engage with knowledgeable MP’s and leeds professors who have a wealth of knowledge on the EU debate and the associated implications of remaining in or departing from the EU.

Among the panelists will be Leeds MP, Hilary Benn and MP for Shipley, Philip Davies, along with representatives from the college. Incorporated in the schedule for the day, will be a five minutes summary from each panel member stating their case for or against, after which a question and answer session will follow. Comprising the audience will also be six form students form a nearby academic institution, and a delegation from the Leeds youth parliament, who will have pre-prepared questions to quiz the MP’s, and scrutinize the credibility of their responses.

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Encouraging more young people to register to vote, and engage in the democratic process by voting in the referendum, and future elections, lies at the core of this very useful exercise. Leeds City College is made up of 40,000 students between the ages of 14 and 19, with the obvious expectation that some of them may be too young to be able to adequately evaluate the key issues in this historical issue that will undoubtedly impact the future of this nation.

However, the opportunity to prepare will afford them ample time to research and inquire about various issues and questions from their parents or from the stretching of their own imagination.

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VALUES

In a press release, Rebecca Hughes, Employability and Skills Officer at Leeds City College, said: “We believe that hosting this event will help us promote fundamental British values. It’s an opportunity for students to understand the importance of democracy and having a say in what could influence their future.

“The MPs will give their views and perspectives on the ‘remain’ and ‘leave’ sides of the argument which will allow students to make an informed decision on the day and increase their knowledge of general politics.” Hilary Benn, MP for Leeds Central- told the eye of media.com

“ This will be the biggest decision we have taken about our place in the world for over 40 years and the result will affect the rest of our lives. I urge everyone to make sure they use their vote. EU membership has brought us jobs, income and growth, improved workers’ rights, looked after the environment and given us security and influence in the world. I am greatly looking forward to making the case for remaining in the European Union in this debate and I congratulate Leeds City College on organising it.”

Collin Booth, Principal at Leeds City College, added: “As a college, we’re committed to developing students’ independence skills that will support them well in their future lives, help them make educated decisions, learn how to become autonomous and confident in speaking out and offering their opinions.

“With the referendum just around the corner, it’s important for everyone, particularly the younger generation to understand the facts and implications of each side so that they’re clued up and prepared to make an informed decision on how they would like to vote. This event is also a great way for them to engage in democracy and what it means for them.”

Joining MPs Hilary Benn and Philip Davies as speakers are Leeds Beckett University Professor, Paul Blackledge, President of Leeds Chamber of Commerce, Gerald Jennings and Leeds City College’s SU President, Emily

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Debates of this type are likely to take place in many colleges and University round the country, and the eye of media.com will keep an eye on some of those debates, especially scheduled debates at Leeds University, Oxford and Cambridge University. Education leaders see it as an opportunity to inform young people more and also give them a voice in important political issues of this nature. It really doesn’t get bigger than this, and it is infinitely important for young people round the country to be well armed with knowledge and information, and also evaluate effectively the information they are fed with, in order to competently distinguish between facts and propaganda. Ultimately it will be for the students to decide from the event if they are swayed one way or the other.

ATTENDANCE

Professor of political theory, Paul Blackledge, from Leeds Beckett University, will also be in attendance, and Gerald Jennings of Leeds Chamber of commerce will be there too. So, there will be a good mix of brains present. An interesting observation would be the sort of questions put to the MP’s by these students, and the depth of their questions and research on this divisive political issue that has put politicians at serious log ahead’s with each other. The government has recently set out their plans to fork out 9.3million pounds of tax payer’s money for leaflets designed for every household to inform them of the supposedly high economic consequences of leaving the EU, information all of us will surely consume and incorporate into the other pool of information we all have about the EU.

No official stance is so far being taken by this online publication, though I have made my stance known in a previous article that Britain is better and safer out than we are in. Short and simple! The dangers of modern day terrorism when juxstaposed with our loose foreign boarders, sounds frightening alarm bells for this country. It will be interesting to hear how the stay campaign propose to tackle the growing threats of terrorism in the UK whilst we have a ludicrously weak grip on immigration- the perfect recipe for slippery and callous terrorists to slip in and plan the implementation of their callous intentions justified from their warped minds. Hillary Benn will disagree with my view, in the same way some of my colleagues do, but most important will be for the panellists to thoroughly and competently express their views and the underpinning arguments to support those views, whilst students fire them with questions and we all see how those questions are addressed.

The debate will be a good mental tests for students round the country, and the eye of media.com will have at least two members of our team present at those discussions/debates. It should be a highly charged and enlightening occasion.

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