Politics Society
The Politics Society was proud to welcome Kevin Bonavia, (photographed right) Old Elthamian and Labour Parliamentary candidate for Rochford & Southend East back to the school to regale us with tales of his fascinating political journey from Eltham to the cusp of entering the House of Commons. Kevin was Chair of the Young Fabians in 2005 and on the Fabian Society National Executive in 2006. Kevin has been active in the Labour party for many years now, with his involvement beginning with his Fabian work and his founding of the Birmingham University Labour Club. Kevin began the evening by giving a brief speech in which he spoke of his political journey, of how the rise of Tony Blair in 1994 clinched his move from the Liberal Democrats to Labour. Kevin spoke of his past, and present involvement in the Fabian Society along with talking about what being a Parliamentary Candidate entails, from selection to the doorstep.
After the speech the floor was opened up to questions, in which the audience probed Kevin on a whole manner of things, ranging from ID cards to Iraq, from how to get involved in politics to how an MP or candidate can deal with certain conflicts of interest. There were some rather tricky Paxman-like questions from the floor, which Kevin dealt with expertly, surely great preparation for dealing with the questions of voters in Rochford and Southend where Kevin will hope to overturn a 5,500 Conservative majority at the next election.