Passionate about Politics at the EYP Nationals

Our keen debating team of three girls and three boys from the Upper Sixth spent an intellectually rigorous long weekend in Liverpool from Thursday 5^th to Sunday 8th September for the European Youth Parliament National Finals 2024. The group were selected following their success at the regional competition in March and were keen to tackle some of the pressing issues in politics with peers from around the UK.

The group were assigned to different committees each of which was challenged with a different political problem. The committees had to work together to agree the best resolution, a task which required significant amounts of debate and compromise. Each committee presented their resolutions to the General Assembly who responded by suggesting amendments, supporting the proposition or in some cases demanding an overhaul! The overall approach however was very collaborative and involved the different committees and individuals adopting a collegiate approach to problem-solving.

Richard Duckett, Head of Politics, who co-led the trip with David Hammond, fellow chair of the Debating Club at Leighton Park and Head of Science, commented “This is what I like about this competition; it’s proper politics to find the best solution to a real life problem. Everyone gets a chance to speak whether from the main stage or from your seat in the General Assembly so it’s great for confidence building.”

Leander (Upper Sixth) reflected: “I enjoyed how much I improved in so many areas: I became more confident, my debating became more eloquent and articulated, and I became more educated about relevant legal issues and international relations. The Nationals were similar to what I imagine university to be like because you’re forced to work with completely new people who are all interested in similar topics. You learn so much from each other, but you have to be willing to listen and collaborate.”

Rhys (Upper Sixth) agreed, commenting: “It was lovely to be around so many passionate student debaters from all over the UK. It was also a great experience to be in university accommodation as we had the opportunity to hang out with fellow debaters in the evening. It is a one-of-a-kind competition as it combines some of the most thoughtful debaters together from the UK with the opportunity to get a taster of what university is like. This was particularly useful for me as I was on the fence about what I wanted my next steps to be. Also, you are around great diversity of thought, from all kinds of backgrounds, so this enables your points of view on various European political, economic and social issues to be challenged and developed which is exciting. I had never debated before I came to LP. I never thought it was my thing. However, I kept an open mind and gave it a go. I then have had two very memorable debating trips within the past year. These have developed my public speaking skills, my critical thinking and my longer writing skills. Having said all this, the best thing about debating is the great friendships you make along the way. So, to summarise, Debating coco is an opportunity too good to miss here at Leighton Park. ”

Head Girl, Kimia (Upper Sixth), also recommends the club enthusing, “If you’re considering joining the debating hobby at Leighton Park, I would highly recommend it! It’s a fantastic opportunity to anyone who is interested to investigate and research global issues and some philosophical questions. It has also proven to me and others to sharpen your speaking, critical thinking, and teamwork skills, all while discussing important global issues. Participating in competitions like EYP is an interesting environment and experience, where you not only learn from others but also gain the confidence to share your own ideas on an international platform.”

There were moments around the debate when our team had a chance to explore their surroundings as well. Staying at Liverpool Hope university offered a taste of university life and in best tourist mode, the group visited the Beatles statue and the Liverpool eye seeing the city from a height!

We are awaiting the results of the competition which should be announced in the next couple of weeks but the winners will have the chance to participate in the International round representing the UK, and can become part of the future organising committee as two of our Upper Sixth students, Millie and Will, did last year.