Leeds MPs to join in debates at university

Conference at Leeds Civic Hall, organised by Leeds Law
Society to look at the issues facing city's legal sector. Pictured Hilary Benn Chair of the Brexit select Committe.
14th June 2017.
Picture Jonathan Gawthorpe — Conference at Leeds Civic Hall, organised by Leeds Law Society to look at the issues facing city's legal sector. Pictured Hilary Benn Chair of the Brexit select Committe. 14th June 2017. Picture Jonathan Gawthorpe

Labour’s Hilary Benn and Alex Sobel, and Conservative Alec Shelbrooke, are due to appear at the last day of Leeds Beckett University’s Festival of Politics and International Relations between November 13 and 17.

Their talks will take place in the Calverley Building at the City Campus.

A new book by the university’s academics, called Political Ideologies, is also due to be launched on the Friday.

8 September 2017...... Alex Sobel MP for Otley. Picture Tony Johnson.

Dr Paul Wetherly, festival organiser, said that “the idea is to provide a space within the academic year to discuss and debate openly a range of social, political and economic issues – contemporary and historical, national and global. As well as our own students, the festival is open to local schools and members of the public.”

Hilary Benn, MP for Leeds Central and chair of the House of Commons Committee on Exiting the European Union, will take part in a debate titled Is a ‘progressive Brexit’ possible?

Elmet and Rothwell’s Alec Shelbrooke MP, the chairman of the Conservative Party, will participate in a discussion about which political party best represents the working class today.

And Alex Sobel, MP for Leeds North West, will talk about lessons that can be learned from this year’s snap General Election. He said: “I am very much looking forward to this event.

“Young people have a big role to play in the wake of Brexit as we look to a Britain outside of the EU. I’m sure they will bring fresh ideas and an important perspective on all the big issues facing us today.”

Subjects being discussed throughout the week include the politics of Star Wars, the crisis in Venezuela, gender and peace-building and weapons technologies.

For more details and to book, visit https://pirfestival2017.eventbrite.co.uk