In the run up to the General Election a former leadership candidate for the Conservative party took to the stage at South Hampstead High School for a lively debate with students.

In the run up to the General Election a former leadership candidate for the Conservative party took to the stage at South Hampstead High School for a lively debate with students.

Tory candidate for Surrey Heath Michael Gove spoke to an audience of 400 on the topic of ‘Brexit, Trump and Leicester City – what did 2016 all mean?’

Mr Gove argued that the economic crisis of 2008 and a distrust in politics contributed to last year’s political climate.

He expressed his view that “the vote to leave the EU was a rejuvenation in our democracy” and that “2016 will be or could be a year that we look back on as a promising new beginning.”

Mr Gove was the first speaker for the South Hampstead lecture series, a new set of political debates at the school introduced by recently appointed headmistress Victoria Bingham – Labour’s Hampstead and Kilburn candidate Tulip Siddiq will also visit the school this month.

Mrs Bingham said: “The spirit of debate is alive and well at South Hampstead and we pride ourselves in the conversations we have.

“While schools remain impartial, we are all eager to engage in political debate.”