Insider
Politics
What is your opinion on a no-deal
Brexit?
It’s not my ideal outcome I’d much rather
us leave with a deal but in the same way
I'm not scared of a no deal. I’m not sug-
One of the best bits of this 45-minute inter- gesting it wouldn’t be bumpy for a few
view was watching the gleam (of distain?) in weeks or months and I would much rather
his eyes when he started to talk about good us leave with a deal.
ole Jezza. ‘The problem with Jeremy Cor-
byn’s plan is twofold; one is how on earth
Do you share the view of Theresa May,
will you pay for it? Two, is it right that
that the recent student climate change
those, for example going to your Colchester protests were just ‘wasting lesson
institute or those who chose not to go to
time’? If so, how would you suggest
university, why should they be paying for
students get their voices heard?
other people to go to university.’ ‘The other The first thing is that I don’t agree that the
problem, and universities will tell you this, is government isn’t listening, we are doing
that once you make something free, which
huge amounts to reduce climate change
is Jeremy Corbyn’s plan you then have to
and ultimately its our role to lead on this
put a cap on it because you can’t have an
because unless we persuade countries like
unlimited number of students going.’ I have China, the US, India, Pakistan then its not
to admit there was a lot more rebutting on
going to make a huge bit of difference. Per-
Corbyn’s plan, but I genuinely don’t have
sonally I didn’t like some of the language
the room to transcribe it in its entirety.
used around ‘wasting lesson time’, I do
think I would much rather it had not been
Of course being a sixth form student myself, them missing school and the part of the key
I asked him if he thought that this stage of
to tackling climate change is education. I
education is worth pouring more funding in- had much rather it have been on a week-
to. He responded firstly with: ‘Yeah it is’.
end than interrupting school time. But if
And I am tempted to leave it at that be-
there is an issue that young people are pas-
cause yes, yes we do need more funding.
sionate about then we should engage with
He even told me about his speech to Parlia- them and have that debate.
ment on the topic. He also assured me that
there are supposedly plans in motion and
Do you think that the current govern-
the ‘government are consulting on it at the
ment could do more to combat global
moment ahead of the spending review next warming? What do they already do?
year’. Which of course gives me great hope
What do you think could be implement-
and confidence.
ed to help save our planet?
In terms of the plastics, that’s where
Here are just some general political ques-
there’s been a real drive at the moment.
tions that I felt personally compelled to ask, There have been things we’ve banned. And
the answers to which I have had to shorten for example the charge on plastic bags, the
the best I can…
straws, cotton buds. We’re now consulting
on plastic packaging more widely. We’ve
So, how confident are you in the out-
just signed a new deal around off shore
come of Brexit and a Post-Brexit UK?
wind. We want at least a third of our ener-
By outcome do you mean leaving European gy to come from off shore wind for exam-
Union. Yes. Well, we have to leave the EU,
ple. So a lot is being done, we’ve got a lot
we had a referendum in 2016 and the result more to do and technology will be a key
was close but decisive and we said we would part in that.
act on the result. The responsibility is on all
of us to ensure we deliver the results of the So, finally I would to thank Will Quince and
referendum. So whether it’s the 29th of
his team at the constituency office for find-
March, I hope it is (check your calendars
ing the time to speak to me-on March 8th
people) or whether it’s a short delay.
2019. I’d like to think I was less imposing
than those who are usually asking you
Would you be open to the idea of a sec- questions.
ond referendum?
Definitely not no. I think it’s a terrible idea
for a number of reasons. The biggest is how
‘We are doing huge amounts to re-
duce climate change and ultimately
it’s our role to lead on this.’
The College magazine online: sixthformmag.blogspot.co.uk