See #GenerationVote for all the replies
Questions were put to representatives of political parties as part of a Twitter event organised by the National Union of Students (NUS) in partnership with Durham Students’ Union and New College Durham on Wednesday.
#GenerationVote – which takes place in a different constituency each week – allows students to put ten questions to local MPs and prospective parliamentary candidates (PPCs) subsequent to Prime Ministers Questions.
Five of the questions are standard, and relate to national issues, while the rest are reserved for local concerns, and can be chosen by the relevant students’ unions.
Taking part were Roberta Blackman-Woods, Labour MP for Durham City, and PPCs Rebecca Coulson, for the Conservative Party, and Craig Martin for the Liberal Democrats.
Here are some of the replies:
What does a new deal for the next generation look like?
@nusuk Better training and employment opportunities. Provision of affordable housing. Action on climate change #GenerationVote
— R. Blackman-Woods (@robertabwMP) October 22, 2014
Do you think tuition fees should be reduced or abolished altogether?
@Zoemoemoo @nusuk I don’t want to remove all charges, graduate tax is the most progressive way to do this
— Craig Martin (@cmartinLD) October 22, 2014
What can you do to tackle youth unemployment?
Keep fixing economy! & keep improving education system. Employment & apprenticeships up massively; will continue @NUSUK
— Rebecca Coulson (@rmlcoulson) October 22, 2014
What is your role in good community/campus relations?
@nusuk I meet with lots of groups in the community on a very regular basis as a resident as well as the MP #GenerationVote
— R. Blackman-Woods (@robertabwMP) October 22, 2014
Do you support votes at sixteen?
@nusuk Yes, with education and technology young people are very aware of world around them, they are mature enough to vote #GenerationVote
— Craig Martin (@cmartinLD) October 22, 2014
What have you done to engage with LGBT constituents in your area?
We must work together to end prejudice. Does defining LGBT constituents by demographic group like this help? We’re all individuals @NUSUK
— Rebecca Coulson (@rmlcoulson) October 22, 2014