Hugh Lanning, the Labour Parliamentary Candidate for the Canterbury and Whitstable constituency, held an open discussion at CCCU on the 30th of October as part of the Politics Programme’s Making Politics Matter series.

In a wide ranging discussion Mr. Lanning spoke passionately of his deep seated interest in the cause of Palestine (he is Chair of the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign) and his lengthy involvement in the trade union movement.

This provided for a great discussion on his, and the Labour Party’s, foreign policy and domestic policies, in particular on workers’ rights and the cost of living.  Mr. Lanning kindly gave over significant time to our students to let them ask questions and he responded in full with thoughtful, though not always agreed, answers.

Member of the wider Canterbury community were also in attendance which provided for an excellent opportunity for both sides to get to know each other.  The Politics programme will be hosting other candidates who are standing in the constituency in the coming months, leading up to our hustings event in April 2015.