We were delighted to host our very own BBC Question Time at Borlase on Tuesday 5th March 2024. With the budget taking place the next day, it was a brilliant opportunity to discuss political and economic affairs. 

Starting with a student panel of Vivek Edulakanti, Hannah Hobbs, Maisy Mathieson-Spires and Odette Foley, it set the bar for a high standard of polite and disciplined debate, encapsulating the idea of ‘disagreeing agreeably’, setting the standard for the main panel coming afterwards. They debated standards and funding in education, the need for educational reform and even the concept of Grammar Schools themselves, while also veering into the rather tense climate of parliamentary procedure in light of the Gaza Vote. They also provided first-hand accounts of the struggles to encourage youth participation in Politics.

The main panel was a composition of all stands of political theatre, from representatives from the governing party and main opposition party as well as the Lib Dems. We were delighted to also have Mr Martin McTague OBE, the Chairman of the Federation of Small and Medium Businesses (FSB)  to bang the drum for small businesses on the eve of the budget, of which Marlow has many, as well as many of our sponsors this year for Borlase 400. 

We were delighted to host Thomas Broom, Buckinghamshire County Cabinet member and member for Geralds Cross  and a senior parliamentary researcher for our trustee and local MP Joy Morrisey.  We were also lucky to have Sunil Sharma join us, Sunil is CEO of the Conservative Friends of the Commonwealth, as well as working in finance outside his broadcasting responsibilities on GB News. From Labour, we had Mark Skoyles, a local primary school governor for 7 years, and previously stood for labour in local elections. For the Lib Dems, we were proud to host the parliamentary candidate for our constituency Anna Crabtree

Of course, the whole event could not have come together without the measured and composed meditation of our chair of the main panel Air Vice-Marshal Ian Durguid CB OBE  - his ability to navigate the difficult questions as well as give all panellists an equal platform was invaluable.

As ever, such events cannot go ahead without months of planning and execution by hardworking students and teachers. In particular, special thanks to Vivek for creating and managing the event from July 2023, and Mrs Pryor for pulling it all together and as ever the tech team led by the brilliant Jenny Chislett. 

Vivek Edulakanti, Year 13