There should be no shortage of questions for the panel when St John’s Academy holds it second political Question Time-style debate in the Theatre on the Hill on Thursday, April 24.
Elections to the European Parliament will be just a month away. The weather should be a bit better, not so many of the local potholes. And there will be a new Culture Secretary in the Cabinet.
The Question Time is being organised by St John’s head of politics, Peter Baldrey.
While MNO is not taking bets on the subjects to be covered during the evening, we can hazard some guesses:
• The state of local roads
• MPs’ expenses and how to police them
• The shortage of local affordable homes
• Europe: in or out?
• Low wages and jobs for young people
• Russia’s ambitions in the Ukraine
• The Prime Minister’s reported wish to outlaw onshore wind farms
• The state of the NHS and local health services
• Will Scottish Nationalists win their divorce?
In April last year St John’s held a very successful Question Time- style debate. On that occasion women on the panel outnumbered the men. Claire Perry MP and Ms Hornby were joined by local businesswoman Deborah Rees.
This year Fiona Hornby will be the sole woman on the platform. MNO has asked Mrs Perry’s office why she will not be part of this year’s panel and we have had no response.
The panel will be:
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Audaye Elesday (Greens) is standing in the European elections for the Green Party on their list for the South West constituency. He works for a community radio station in Devon and is on the advisory committee of Exeter University’s Centre of European Governance. |
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Fiona Hornby (LibDem) was the LibDem candidate for the Devizes constituency at the 2005 and 2010 General Elections coming second to the Conservatives in both contests and increasing her share of the vote in 2010. She lives in Marden. |
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David Pollitt (UKIP) is UKIP’s prospective parliamentary candidate for the Devizes constituency at the 2015 General Election. He was elected to Wiltshire Council in May 2013 for the Melksham Central Division. His the sole UKIP member of the Council. |
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Chris Watts (Labour) is the Labour Party’s prospective parliamentary candidate for the Devizes constituency at the 2015 General Election. He is a union official and lives in Swindon where his wife is a councillor. |
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Philip Whitehead (Conservative) is a Wiltshire councillor for the Urchfont and The Cannings division. On Wiltshire Council he holds the portfolio for the highways contract. He lives in Marlborough. |
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The session will be chaired by Claire James – an Upper Sixth Form student at St John’s. The Question Time will start at 8.00pm with doors open from 7.30pm and there will be a bar. Entry is free and the proceeds of a retiring collection will go towards the St John’s Fundraising campaign. |
