Barnet Question Time at Woodhouse College

Last night I attended a Barnet version of BBC Question time in Woodhouse College, I was on the panel responding to some excellent questions submitted by pupils form Barnet schools

1) Do you think the cuts to youth support services together with youth unemployment in Barnet doubling since 2008 will lead to further youth disengagement and a repeat of the summer riots?

2) Considering the fact that groups such as the Royal College of Nursing and the British Medical Association have withdrawn support for the Health Bill, do you think the Bill should still be pursued and why?

3) Do you think that Livingstone’s pledge to introduce a London EMA is necessary and feasible?

4) To what extent do you believe that reported proposals to privatise parts of the police services will obstruct the course of justice and lead to problems in the relationship between the state and the police?

5) Last week whilst travelling on a bus in Barnet I was attacked because of my postcode, do you think that this is a sign of increasing social tensions between young people and what do you think should be done to address issues of safety on public transport?

 6) With Barnet Council spending £4.6 million on CCTV between 2007 and 2011 – one of the top 10 local authority spenders on CCTV – do you think this is inappropriate in times of such austerity?

7) Considering recent tensions with regards to Baroness Warsi’s claims of ‘militant Atheists’ and a ‘Christian Britain’, do you agree that Michael Goves plan to send a copy of the King James’ Bible to every English school is a waste of money and out-dated? (If you had the opportunity to send one book to all schools in England what would it be?)

8) Considering the u-turns and broken promises that have occurred over the past two years – in particular those concerning tuition fees – do you think that the coalition is an effective and capable government?

At the end of the evening a pupil explained that there was a consistent theme emerging i.e. Budget cuts, privatisation of public services. He asked the panel

“Does this not spell the end of the Capitalist system?”

This is a question that should be on everyone’s lips. How can we carry on with the same financial system that refuses to be regulated and continues to reward banking bonus culture even when they are failing., whilst at the same time the majority of citizens are told to tighten our belts, work more for less and in some case lose your job.

At the same time it appears that Consultants are taking over the running of public services before handing them over to private sector companies who will drain public money to feed the avarice of the shareholders of those companies. If an when they are exposed, they intimidate public sector organisations with their big city lawyers threatening massive penalty pay outs if they dare to question the quality of the delivery of the contract.

This event was a well organised and professional, a tribute to those students who organised it and those students who took part in the event. I think it is safe to say that the future is NOT Orange but very challenging, but, I have confidence that things will have to change, so…..politicians beware!