A-Level politics students from Mansfield’s West Nottinghamshire College polished their interviewing skills when they invited the town’s MP, Ben Bradley, into their class.

Each student interviewed Ben on any subject they chose for five minutes.

The year one and year two students accessed the event from the classroom and online, enabling them all to engage interactively and ‘grill’ Ben in a professional yet polite manner. They posed questions on matters ranging from the environment, Covid-19 and the NHS to youth violence, disability and the local area in general.

Sixteen-year-old Edward Keenan prepared questions on the Abortion Act, Ben’s experience at the House of Commons after he was elected from a social class perspective, and how the UK has handled the current pandemic.

Politics students have been unable to access visits to the Houses of Parliament, Whitehall or the Old Bailey to enhance their course experience this year. However, interactive in-house activities have been arranged.

Student Lewis Thacker, 17, said: “Today’s visit helps to make us more politically aware and it’s helped us to see that MPs aren’t alien – Ben has been very approachable and happy to speak to us. I was able to ask him more about education in general and his thoughts on a unitary council (for the county).”

Ben added: “It was great to meet the students who were very well prepared with a lot of questions for me. There are so many things impacting on education and young people these days so it was great to hear from this group so I hope they got something useful out of this.

“As soon as visitors are allowed it would be great to welcome the students on a tour of the House of Commons.”