Local election candidates grilled at COPC hustings

City of Portsmouth College students had the chance to get involved in local politics and grill candidates for the forthcoming local elections, at a hustings event hosted at Sixth Form Campus.

Chaired by politics lecturer Steve Fitzgerald, candidates from almost all the leading parties – Steve Pitt (Liberal Democrat, Milton), Matthew Holland (Labour, Drayton & Farlington), Joe Standen (Reform, Paulsgrove) and Jay Mercer (Green Party, St Thomas) – were grilled by the students in a Question Time-style event.

The candidates were asked about what got them into politics and what motivated them to join their respective parties – reasons ranged from being inspired by their politics studies, to being in a zero-hour contract and wanting change and wanting a safe place for their children to grow up in.

They were also asked about the issue of immigration – which all candidates agreed the country needed, and celebrated the diversity immigrants brought to local communities. However, Reform candidate Joe added illegal immigration needed curbing, and created headlines when he condemned the Portsmouth Patriots protest group.

Local issues like crime, opportunities for young people, were also covered – and Portsmouth News attended to record the event.

Portsmouth City Council’s local elections take place on May 7 – see a list of all candidates here.