Posted: 17/06/14
A-Level students put MP under the spotlight
Ashfield MP Gloria De Piero has been quizzed by students at West Nottinghamshire College about politics and the representation of women in the media.
Charlotte and Michael (front) quiz Gloria De Piero MP, filmed by fellow students
A-Level students Michael Breen, 16, and Charlotte Swindells, 17, secured an interview with the Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities as part of a project focussing on increasing youth engagement in politics.
The pair have created a session which they have delivered to several tutorial groups to pass on their knowledge of politics to fellow students and encourage them to vote when they are old enough.
Michael and Charlotte , who are both from Jacksdale, Nottinghamshire, were keen to build on this by incorporating a recorded interview with the politician that would form part of the tutorial materials and help bring the subject to life.
The interview, conducted at the college’s Derby Road campus last Friday (13 June 2014), was filmed by A-Level students Jemma Ratcliffe, Kymberley Kirkby, Jessica Brassington, Megan Dixon, Ellie-J Renshaw and Chloe Mogford.
Michael, who is studying biology, physics, history and maths, said: “It was brilliant interviewing Gloria; she’s a very straight-talking and honest MP and to speak to her about her plans for the future was really useful. I’d like to go into politics and be an MP because I want to change things for the better, so I was keen to find out more about how things work.”
Charlotte, who studies film studies, ICT, and media, said: “It was fantastic to get an insight into Gloria’s work. We discussed how the media represents both politics and females, and it was also interesting to find out about some of the less-publicised aspects of her job such as door-knocking in her constituency.”
Gloria De Piero said: “The students asked me some really good questions about my job, about why politics is relevant to young people, who I thought would win next year’s General Election and about the life of an MP.
“Michael and Charlotte were really talented interviewers. It’s a breath of fresh air to see young people showing an interest in politics and democracy.
“Michael told me about his political aspirations and said he wants to go all the way to Number 10 Downing Street, which was brilliant to hear.”
