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Mr. Charles Kennedy: Schools are his main agenda

Alexander Charteris | 18.07.2003 13:22 | Education | London

Yesterday afternoon, Charles Kennedy leader of the Liberal-Democrat party visited The Hemel Hempstead school in Hertfordshire in a random gesture of goodwill towards the young voters of tommorow.....

On the 17th of July 2003, Charles Kennedy, Liberal Democrat leader visited The Hemel Hempstead School in a almost spontaneous gesture, to talk to the young 6th form students about their views on many current affairs.
Arriving at 1:00pm with an entourage of photographers and general hangers on. After entering the school and being given a tour by the Headmaster, Mr. Alan Gray, Mr. Kennedy addressed the students first announcing, "Can I take my jacket off? I don't want this to be too formal." Were these the words of Mr.Kennedy's speech writer or the words of the man himself?
The main topic was the Liberal Democrats policies on Education and especially on their proposed removal of University entrance fees should they get into power. Mr. Kennedy ensured us that they would adapt a system of "Horses for Courses". After much confusion of the meaning of the aforementioned cleche, it was revealed that in lamens terms, Students would be given the opportunity to decide on their own futures rather than simply follow the course that their eventual exam grades give them.

After many questions, Mr. Kennedy (or Charles as he insisted on being called) asked us some questions of his own ending with the obligitory "Who are you going to vote for?"

After this visit, I'm sure that it's even more unclear who we should vote for.

Alexander Charteris
- e-mail: Vitamin_c_is_good_for_you@hotmail.com