Kevin Foster MP meets TGGS students

Karensa Woodward, Politics Ambassador, writes:

On the 6th May, the Sixth Form welcomed Kevin Foster, Conservative MP for Torbay since 2015, and currently Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Safe and Legal Migration under Home Secretary Priti Patel. Mr Foster’s past involves studying Law at the University of Warwick and a career as a paralegal and company secretary for many firms. He did not come from a political family and became increasingly aware of politics after becoming aware of the consequences of taxation, and how government rules affected people in his community.

Politics Speakers Secretary Alice Stephens introduced Mr Foster with a speech about his background in politics, and his involvement with certain bills and issues within his government department. Mr Foster started with a talk about his roles and responsibilities as an MP, including how he can’t speak directly on constituency matters in the House of Commons due to his ministerial role, and how he works behind the scenes with other Devon MPs to press government for certain changes involving NHS regulations and issues like Mental Health provision in the South-West.

Speaking to a room of over 50 students from the Sixth Form, Year 11 and Year 10, students then asked Foster a range of questions related to his ministerial role around themes such as his views on privilege regarding his ethnicity and sexuality; Foster felt he had some privilege regarding these factors, but did not feel his working-class background had put him in a position of privilege overall. Foster responded honestly to a question posed surrounding online backlash, and felt that he benefits from being a man regarding his political views; female colleagues have it much tougher, which he felt was appalling. Regarding his voting behaviour, Foster responded sincerely, explaining the technicalities of some issues that led him to support the government line, specifically regarding disability benefits and free school meals. On the current issues and policies surrounding the Ukraine and Rwanda migrant settlement, Foster stated that the solution would be to enforce stronger immigration laws in order to prevent criminal gangs controlling desperate migrants, and that the application process should be modernised into an international system that works efficiently.

Subsequently, Sophie Castillo ended the session with a vote of thanks. We are very grateful for Mr Foster’s visit, and enjoyed talking with him.