Budding Burnley politicians get the chance to experience what life would like in the House of Commons

Budding future MPs in Burnley have been given a taste of what life might be like in the House of Commons.
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MP Antony Higginbotham has been leading a ‘mock parliament’ tour across schools in the borough where pupils recreate the House of Commons in an interactive learning experience which aims to teach the workings of Westminster.

So far Antony has been welcomed at St Peter’s, Whittlefield, St Joseph’s Park Hill, and St John’s pirmary schools.. His latest visit was to Olive High School, which has recently moved into the old Burnley College building on Ormerod Road.

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Order! Order! MP Antony Higginbotham holds court at one of the mock parliaments he is hosting at schools in Burnley to encourage young people to get involved in politics and democracy.Order! Order! MP Antony Higginbotham holds court at one of the mock parliaments he is hosting at schools in Burnley to encourage young people to get involved in politics and democracy.
Order! Order! MP Antony Higginbotham holds court at one of the mock parliaments he is hosting at schools in Burnley to encourage young people to get involved in politics and democracy.
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Over the last few months Antony’s been using the visits to talk about his role and then hold these ‘mock parliaments’ with the aim of encouraging young people to be interested in politics and democracy.

Antony said: “These mock parliaments are a new way of teaching children about how it works in Westminster. We basically setup our own version of the House of Commons and get the children to discuss ideas that gets them talking.

“Nothing like this was available to me when I was in school but I think it’s important as it drives aspiration and gives every child the confidence to know that they can be anything they want to be.

“The students become really engaged and you can see their confidence start to increase. It’s been great and I want to thank Mrs Hanif and all the team at Olive High for getting involved with this project”.

Antony’s tour is continuing throughout the year with several primary and secondary schools already signed up.