Upper Sixth Politics students question top politicians at PolEcon conference

On Monday (2/3/26) the Upper Sixth Politics Students were up bright and early, ready to listen to an array of politicians from different parties at this year’s PolEcon conference.

Based in Central London, our students were part of an audience of hundreds of A Level students all relishing the chance to hear different speakers and ask searching questions.

The speakers included Zack Polanski (Co-leader of the Green Party), Laila Cunningham (Reform candidate for London Mayor), Zarah Sultana MP (co-founder of Your Party), Nusrat Munir Ul-Ghani MP (Deputy Speaker and member of the Conservative Party), Daisy Cooper MP (Deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats), Alastair Campbell (former advisor to Tony Blair and co-host of the Rest is Politics podcast), Seb Wride (Director or Polling at Public First), Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg (former Conservative MP), Wes Streeting MP (Minister for Health, Labour party) and Sir Graham Brady (Head of the 1922 Committee of the Conservative Party). After a short introduction from each speaker, students were given the opportunity to ask questions. So engaged were they that, for some speakers, queues quickly formed with students eager to contribute.

The Upper Sixth had a brilliant time hearing so many real politicians talk and react to questions: a real chance to see partisanship and political techniques in action. There was also the chance to get signed books from some of the speakers which some students took the opportunity to do, meeting their podcast hero Alistair Campbell.

Mrs Sam Handy
Head of History and Politics