I enjoyed my return to St Brendan’s Sixth Form College last week, for a Q&A with its Politics A-Level class.

Students grilled me on issues ranging from the international (Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine) and UK politics (Keir Starmer’s handling of the cost-of-living crisis), to local concerns like traffic in Brislington and the toppling of Colston. They also asked me about how I got into politics, and it was great to see them so engaged in the discussion.

While I can’t take credit for their enthusiasm I hope students feel encouraged to consider a future career in politics – watch this space!

I also spoke to Principal Marian Curran about problems the college faces with bus services and BTEC provision. The Government is due to stop funding a significant number of BTEC qualifications from 2024, including Criminology, Applied Law and Business Studies, despite their overwhelming popularity among students. I’ll be following up with the DfE and with Metro Mayor Dan Norris in the hope that these issues can soon be resolved.