Clifton College Mock Election 2010
As David Cameron takes up residence in Number 10 we look at how the Clifton Mock Election gave pupils the chance to experience an election. Ben Clatworthy reviews the Mock Election
Clifton have historically organized a mock election at the time of a national General Election and 2010 was to be no different. The newly established Politics Department took charge of the event and with the support of the Percival Library staff.
It became clear early on that the mock election wouldn’t differ dramatically from the UK picture of uncertainty. It was clear it would be a four-horse race from the off.
Nine candidates stood for election, representing all the major parties including UKIP, Greens, Respect, The Monster Raving Loony Party and even the Communist Party. One ‘Independent’ candidate put himself to the public too.
After a week of campaigning, posters and lots of talk William Rushworth of the Conservative Party came out
Ben Clatworthy and Will Rushworth, the election winner.
on top; 20 votes ahead of UKIP candidate Charles Markham. Labour finished in a close third place.
The Mock Election offered Clifton pupils a real chance to engage and experience real life democracy and for some the idea of going to a polling station seemed so foreign that even if they gained nothing from the event they will now know how to vote when they are 18.
A Hustings session was also held, allowing the 9 candidates to try and win over voters as they set out their ideologies to a 100 strong crowd, last Wednesday.
The 1997 Mock Election was convincingly won by Old Cliftonian, Nick Yarker, who in this years National Poll was the standing Conservative candidate for Bristol West, the constituency that the College is situated.
Pupils can now take Politics at AS and A-Level as a new subject at Clifton and the modest class of 10 is expected to rise in numbers when the next year of students take up AS studies in September. The subject is taught by former Head of History, Peter Lidington whose brother was re-elected as Conservative MP for Aylesbury. He is expected to take up a Ministerial role in the coming days.
Old Cliftonian Richard Hooper teaches the other half of the course and as a politics fanatic seems the perfect second half for Peter.
The result of our election may not have changed the course of day to day life but for the pupils of Clifton it has very much given them an insight into the working of the UK political system.
Words by Ben Clatworthy
