Conservative Party vice-chair for youth visits University of Buckingham

Bim Afolami, MP for Hitchin & Harpenden, met students and staff and was joined by Buckingham MP Greg Smith for a tour of the university.

Buckingham councillor Ade Osibogun, who is a PhD student at the university, showed the MPs round campus and they met with vice-chancellor James Tooley to discuss current issues in higher education, including skills, employability and levelling up.

They also met members of the uni's Young Conservatives, who talked about the issues that are of concern to young people, such as getting on the housing ladder.

The MPs also visited Buckingham Enterprise Hub and met its director, Prof Nigel Adams, and one of the Business Enterprise students.

Bim Afolami said: “My job as Conservative Party Vice Chair is to listen to young people across the country and make sure their concerns are fully heard.

"The University of Buckingham is a fantastic example of an independent university doing fantastic things.

"I learnt a lot from the many young people I met and heard about their aims and ambitions in life and how politicians like me can help them achieve their goals.”

Vice-chancellor Prof Tooley said: "It was great for students and staff to have a visit from Bim Afolami and Greg Smith. Many important issues were discussed."

Greg Smith MP added: "It was a pleasure to be joined at the University of Buckingham by Bim Afolami.

"We met with vice-chancellor James Tooley to discuss higher education policy, enjoyed visiting the Enterprise Hub to chat to Prof Nigel Adams about innovative Enterprise courses and chatted to students about the challenges they face at the moment.

"I was very grateful to Bim for his time and engagement with our university."

Ade Osibogun added: "There were some good discussions about current issues.

"We were delighted Bim Afolami and Greg Smith took the time to do a tour of campus and to answer the students' questions on important topics."

Bim Afolami chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Renewable and Sustainable Energy and the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Financial Markets & Services. He is also co-chair and Net Zero Champion for the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Fair Business Banking.