Opinions erupt at Question Time-style debate hosted by Queens' School in Bushey (From Watford Observer)

Opinions erupt at Question Time-style debate hosted by Queens' School in Bushey

11:16pm Tuesday 16th March 2010 in

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A series of passion-fuelled arguments erupted at a Bushey school tonight as students, journalists, academics and politicians took part in a Question Time-style debate.

Queens' School, in Aldenham Road, opened its doors for the wider community to question an invited panel on subjects from terrorism laws to the imminent British Airways strike.

About 300 people, of various ages and backgrounds, turned out for the widely publicised event and the debate became, at times, heated and aggressive.

Headteacher Terence James said: “It has been a really good evening.

“It has to be good for education something like this. There was a good, well-informed audience and a lot of interesting discussion on serious subjects.

“Young people should be encouraged to discuss these issues.”

The topics included Islamaphobia, the panel’s opinions on torture laws, theories on climate change, the war on terrorism and restrictions of civil liberties.

The panel included BBC foreign correspondent Humphrey Hawksley, founder of Muslims4UK Inayat Bunglawala, Conservative candidate for Watford Richard Harrington and Kent Law Clinic professor John Fitzpatrick.

Mr Harrington said: "It was great I enjoyed it.

"Everyone put their views forward - this is what free speech is about."

Sunday Times columnist Minette Marrin, also on the panel, said: “It was fantastic. Even though it got aggressive at times there was a really good atmosphere.

“There was no separation between the generations here and there was a tremendous amount of energy.”

The event was put on by the Institute of Ideas, which runs a debating competition for sixth form students across the country.

Tom Meehan, a Year 13 student at the school, said: “It’s been an exciting debate on interesting issues.

“It was great to see so many people here at our school for the event and for so many of them to share their views.”

The evening acted as a prelude to tomorrow’s student conference, entitled Terrorism, involving approximately 300 pupils from other schools, including Bushey Meads.

Kevin Rooney, a teacher at Queens' School, said: “The brilliant thing is that it’s such a student-led thing.

“It is all about student engagement. There was a lot of uncertainty about tonight but what it showed was there is an appetite for politics.”

The director of the Future Cities Project, Austin Williams, chaired tonight’s debate, which ran from 7.30pm to 9pm.

The audience were provided with refreshments and, in the style of the famous BBC Question Time, those asking questions were invited to stand and address the panel.

Humza Ahmad, a 31-year-old sports therapist consultant from Bushey, said: “Just look at the mix of people getting involved.

“It’s great to see so many younger people participating and showing that they care enough to participate.

“If they can do this now then it shows that we have something to look forward to in the future.”