From the English Department

DIXIT

EDITION 107 5th February 2021

The weekly newsletter for the Holyport College family

Former Prime Minister pressed on Brexit, Covid, Feminism and President Trump

Holyport students (and some Eton Boys) were given a real treat on Wednesday when the former Prime Minister and Maidenhead MP, Theresa May joined us on Google Meets for an hour long student question and answer session. Three of our Lower Sixth Politics ambassadors led the whole session and were certainly not fazed by interviewing a former Prime Minister.

Angelina and Rayyan began the first half of the session by asking alternate questions about Brexit, Covid and the nature of women in politics amongst other things. Her answer about how she found the Trump White House incredibly unpredictable and how that impacted on Britain (especially British troops) was fascinating. Also her view that the Brexit referendum was more than just about the issue of Europe and was about those ‘left behind’ showed a more nuanced view than when she was at helm.

Duncan, also in Lower Sixth, then took over for the second half of the session and chaired questions from the floor – questions came in thick and fast from whether we could trust the current cabinet with the Covid pandemic to whether there was an inconsistency in the UK’s cannabis policy. But for me the most interesting answer was on Theresa May ’s greatest achievement, a question asked by Hannah in Lower Sixth. She said that the Environmental legislation that is now set in train and the fact that the UK will host COP26 in Glasgow this November as a result of leading the way in this area was interesting.

Holyport College is lucky to provide these high-profile opportunities to its students and with the increasingly developed links between academic societies here and at Eton, these opportunities will continue to grow.

Mr Hardee