Loughborough College Hosts Successful Hustings for Charnwood Candidates Ahead of General Election

Loughborough College successfully hosted a hustings event for Charnwood candidates, allowing students to hear directly from local candidates ahead of the general election next week.

Parliamentary candidates Jane Hunt, Hans Zollinger-Ball, Ian Sharpe, and Jeevun Sandher all attended the event representing the Conservative Party, Green Party, Liberal Democrats, and Labour respectively. Candidates presented their policies and engaged in a lively Q&A session with learners in the audience.

Opening the event, Principal and CEO of Loughborough College, Corrie Harris shared: “This gathering is not just a routine exercise, but a crucial moment in our college’s commitment to fostering an informed and engaged student body. This is learning beyond textbooks – this is real-world education at its finest.”

Hosting this hustings event was a significant step in encouraging first time student voters to participate actively in the democratic process and to hear directly from the candidates and understand the key issues at stake in this election.

All candidates offered their perspectives on a range of topics, highlighting their visions for the future of the Charnwood constituency and urging students to become active in their communities, and encouraging them to vote.

Students asked a wide range of questions, covering important topics such as housing, immigration, income tax, education, and healthcare. Student and aspiring doctor Johnson was met with applause from the audience as he asked the candidates about their plans for NHS recruitment and retention.

Head of Sixth Form at Loughborough College, Hayley Doyne-Ditmas added: “What a wonderful opportunity for our learners to engage with the election. A chance to witness a live debate and ask probing questions surrounding issues that matter to them and will shape their futures.

“All candidates were fantastic at interacting with our Sixth Formers, discussing policies, opportunities and encouraging interest, both formally in the debate and informally after it. All learners left empowered through knowledge of the political process and policies, encouraging them to engage with elections throughout their lives, making sure their vote counts.”