Former Burnt Mill School pupils, Bill Rammell MP and the Minister of State for Borders and Immigration, Liam Byrne MP, visited their old school together on Tuesday 16th October to meet with pupils and local community representatives to discuss citizenship and immigration.

The two MPs are the only current Government Ministers who went to the same school. Whilst the Conservative Party has traditionally had a generous sprinkling of Eton and other private school educated members, it is much rarer for pupils from the same state sector secondary school to achieve the same.

Bill Rammell and Liam Byrne began their visit yesterday afternoon with a meeting with pupils in the school library at which they were grilled for nearly an hour by the students on issues around citizenship and democracy, immigration and asylum. They then went on a trip down memory lane with a tour of the school led by headteacher, Stephen Chamberlain, and several students. They concluded their visit with a speech by Liam Byrne to local community stakeholders setting out the Government’s plans to tackle migration and asylum issues through the new Borders and Immigration Agency.

Speaking after the visit, Bill Rammell said, "It’s very unusual for two MP’s let alone Ministers to have gone to the same secondary school so for two of us in the same Government to have come from the same school in a relatively small town like Harlow is almost unheard of.

"I regularly visit Burnt Mill but it was great to go back with Liam for a trip down memory lane. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The students who participated in the event were a credit to the school and I hope that our visit will, if nothing else, help inspire them to realise what they can achieve with a Burnt Mill education and a bit of hard work."