Youngsters from across the region went head-to-head in the final of SE Cambs MP Lucy Frazer’s Parliamentary Inter Schools Debating Competition.

Pupils from Ely College, Soham Village College, King’s Ely, Bottisham Village College, Impington Village College, Linton Village College and Witchford Village College debated whether all drugs should be legalised and the winners were Katie and Ellen of Soham Village College and Ely College.

Ms Frazer said: “When I first came up with the idea to hold an inter school debating competition, I could not have known that I would have so much support and positive feedback from all the teachers who make the competition possible, giving so much of their time to helping organise the students.

“Four years on, the level of commitment and calibre of debating is clear to see and I am glad I was not the one judging as it was so hard to choose a winner.

“I hope everyone involved, including all the students who didn’t make the final, have gained a taste for how exciting it is to have the confidence to speak in public and that they will take this forward with them as they continue into higher education and the workplace.”

One of the winners, Ellen, said: “After working on these debates in school, we were all excited to enjoy the culmination of our hard work as we visited Westminster.

“We entered the House and being there in person, in this iconic building, was very inspiring. It has given me some strong aspirations for the future. There was some hot competition and great debaters with a lot of experience.

“I’m just so grateful for being offered this opportunity. I enjoyed the feeling of a debating environment and seeing how the House of Commons works; gaining an insight into the diversity of voices. I had never done anything like this competition before and this is a new skill which I am keen to build upon.

“We have discussed the potential for a debating club which I’m sure would be well supported in school.”

Also at the debate were representatives from the charitable organisation ‘Debate Mate,’ which supports initiatives in schools such as Ms Frazer’s in East Cambridgeshire.