This week’s Thursday Thought was brought to us by Head of Theology and Philosophy, Mr Grant Woolner, about becoming a politician, and what better day to talk about the importance of politics and voting than election day or Super Thursday.
He said: “I’ve always been interested in politics but during the first lockdown I started to become more and more exercised about how decisions were made that affect the daily lives of millions of people.
“At the same time I saw a notice on one of the local Facebook groups asking people to run for local government. A few emails and a Zoom meeting later I suddenly became Twyford’s candidate for the Conservative Party in the Local Council Elections.”
Mr Woolner goes on to talk about how as soon as lockdown restrictions were lifted he started knocking on doors to talk to constituents, walking 50,000 steps a day!
He said: "Voting in a local election won't change the Government or big policy. What you are voting for are the little things that affect us every day - bin collections, speed limits, air pollutions and bus timetables - and people care about these things a lot!"
He talked about the importance of voting and how throughout history people have fought to get the vote, including the woman's suffrage movement, and so in many ways by choosing not to vote you are ‘insulting the struggles of those who lived generations before us.’
Mr Woolner then shared an advert from 20 years ago to show how politics affects our everyday lives and why voting is therefore very important.
Even if lots of our pupils are too young to vote, it is through systems like the prefects or school council that you can press for change and make your voice heard.
