PARLIAMENTARY hopefuls took to social media to answer students’ questions in the first debate of the forthcoming General Election campaign.

The National Union of Students organised the online debate with questions put to three of the candidates hoping to contest the City of Durham seat.

Labour MP Roberta Blackman-Woods and candidates Craig Martin for the Lib Dems, and Rebecca Coulson for the Conservatives each answered ten questions on Twitter put to them by Durham University of Durham and New College Durham students.

Questions ranged from the future of the NHS and youth unemployment to whether the candidaites supported votes at 16.

NUS President Toni Pearce said: “Students are proud to be part of their communities, and may well hold the key to the next general election in their constituencies, so it is our responsibility to empower our students to question those who may be representing their interests’ nationally.

“Considering where the student vote is most powerful, we will be choosing one constituency per week and inviting the MP and PPCs from each, to engage with their constituents on Twitter, all answering the same questions – on a range of topics from local issues to student ones.”