Madeleine Sumption on public policy

Our City sixth formers had the privilege of attending a talk from alumna Madeleine Sumption (Class of 2001), Director of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford. This gave us the chance to explore a range of thought-provoking issues surrounding immigration policy. Key questions were raised, including the new Labour government’s stance on ID cards and offshore migration. What struck me was her insight into the relatively minor economic impact that international immigrants have, despite common misconceptions and that the majority of immigrants to the UK are actually students. Questioning the impact of this on young British people, she taught us that although competition for university places is increasing, the rate of education institute expansion is exponential to mitigate the cost of inflation hence keeping British places as secure as possible. Furthermore, her diverse career experiences in think tanks, research groups and advisory committees were truly inspiring and exposed us to new paths our own futures might take.